Chatedral in Matera

MATERA

The City was established on the Gravina di Matera (tributary on the left of Bradano), 200m above sea level.

The Town Planning of Matera City is of particular interest, if not unique in its genre. It is built on a calcareous ram of the western Murge and faces towards the deep gorge of the Gravina with its sheer cliff walls interrupted by two hollows (formed from two small tributaries to the right of the Gravina): the Sasso Barisano to the north and the Sasso Caveoso to the South. The “Sassi” (Stones) are the old, picturesque, rocky landscape quarters of Matera, with habitation for the most, excavated from volcanic tuff, disorderly placed one on top of another, and often having only one façade in brickwork. Following the transfer of inhabitants of the “Sassi” and the development of the industrial district, numerous new quarters were established in the higher areas of the City and close surrounding elevations.

The origins of the City are to this day uncertain: after the fall of the Roman Empire in the West (476), it was devastated by the Ostrogoths of King Teodorico and following that, was put under the Byzantine domination of General Belisario. When the Longobards conquered it, it was united with the Duchy of Benevento. The City was destroyed for the first time by the Franchi under the Emporer Carlo Magno, and was rebuilt during the course of the 9th Century, and once again destroyed (994) by the Saracens, who expelled its inhabitants. In 1061 it was conquered by the Normans, and then passed hands to domination by the Svevi, the Angioini and the Aragonese. At the beginning of the 15th Century, it was given great privileges by the King of Aragona and Sicily, Ferdinando I il Giusto (the Just), and then it fell under the tyranny of Count Giancarlo Tramontano, who was killed by its inhabitants in 1514. During the 18th Century, the city was given the title of the main town of Basicilicata, which it then lost in 1806 in favour of Potenza.

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MATERA
Art City

Basilicata region of Italy
Basrelief in the chatedral - Matera
BAS-RELIEF

Facade of the Cathedral - Matera
CATHEDRAL'S FACADE

 

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