Matera

Matera is an ancient city in the far south of Italy.

Matera has been continually inhabited for over 10,000 years. It was stated that only Aleppo and Jericho have been occupied longer.

For most of that time the people of Matera lived in caves in the soft limestone. In more recent times rooms and facades were built in front of the caves, but throughout Matera, behind the facades there are caves and rooms carved in the soft rock.

It was not until the 20th century that the Italian government mandated that the people, living with their domesticated animals in the caves, be forced to vacate, due to their existence that was not dissimilar to how their ancestors lived hundreds or even a thousand years ago. Matera was declared a national embarrassment!

Now the city is being occupied by upscale hotels with rooms in the rock, and other establishments catering to tourists, as well as private dwellings. Most of them have rooms/facades in front of the ancient caves in the limestone rock.