Matera - Tourist informations about the city and its surroundings.

Matera is a unique and charming town, rises laid to a fissure in which were dug in the deep rock caves that had been ancient residences. These are called Sassi of Matera and have inspiring poets and writers among which Carlo Levi in his romance Christ has stopped to Eboli and were evocative scenery for the film "The Passion" of Mel Gibson. In the course of centuries, until to arrive to XIX century, Matera was remodelled from numerous rich proprietors that outlined the line of boundary between the high and low part of the town. A visit deserve the Castle Tramontano, raised in XV century and ever finished, the Cathedral of XIII century, of rchitecture romanico-pugliese more time remaked, the Church of San Francesco, of XIII century and the Nationa Museum Domenico Ridola that preserve reports from the age of the bronze to the roman period. To little kilometers from the town deserve a visit the Park of the rocky churches, characterized from natural caves that testify the presence of Greek and Latin community. The cusine has a lot in common with the culinary traditions pugliesi; in fact the typical dishes are the broad bean and beets and lamb to the mushrooms, while as regards the sweets to taste are the "cicirata", small marbles fried and covered of honey and the cakes of cheese.