Piazza San Pietro Caveoso

Welcome to Piazza San Pietro Caveoso, the ancient and rugged heart of Matera’s most authentic district, the Sasso Caveoso. As you stand in this charming open square, you are at a crossroads of history, where human habitation has…

The dominant feature of this square is the Church of San Pietro Caveoso, an architectural marvel that sits elegantly on the edge of the cliffside. While the church’s origins date back to the 13th century, it underwent significant…

Just above the square, perched atop the Monte Erone rock formation, sits the Church of Santa Maria de Idris, one of Matera’s most iconic and photogenic rock-cut sanctuaries. Dating back to the 10th century, this rock church, or…

The landscape surrounding Piazza San Pietro Caveoso is defined by the deep and dramatic Gravina Canyon, a geological feature that has shaped the destiny of Matera for millennia. The Torrente Gravina river, flowing at the bottom…

The district surrounding the square, Sasso Caveoso, is known for being more rugged and picturesque than its counterpart, Sasso Barisano. While Barisano developed later with a more organized layout and wider streets, Caveoso grew…

While not directly on the square, no scholarly exploration of Matera's engineering is complete without understanding the Palombaro Longo, the city's largest underground water system. Located beneath the modern center near Piazza…

To understand how the people of Matera actually lived within these rocks until as recently as the 1950s, a visit to a Casa Grotta is essential. These restored cave dwellings, such as Casa Grotta nei Sassi, show the cramped and…

As the sun sets and the lights of the Sasso Caveoso begin to twinkle, Matera truly reveals its soul, transforming into what many describe as a living nativity scene. Standing here in Piazza San Pietro Caveoso, you have witnessed…