Matera, from “the shame of Italy” to Unesco world heritage site and European capital of culture for 2019.
Its astonishing beauty has inspired many film directors, from Pier Paolo Pasolini who filmed Il Vangelo secondo Matteo here, to Mel Gibson with The Passion of the Christ up to the more recent last chapter of 007 saga No time to die.
Matera is a city in southern Italy that is located in the Basilicata region. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is known for its unique cave dwellings, which have been inhabited for centuries.
The city has a long and rich history, dating back to the Paleolithic era. It was a major center of Byzantine culture in the Middle Ages and was later ruled by the Normans, the Swabians, and the Aragonese.Matera's cave dwellings, known as sassi, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
They are carved into the limestone cliffs that surround the city and have been inhabited for centuries. The sassi are home to a variety of museums, restaurants, and shops.
Matera is a popular tourist destination and is known for its beautiful architecture, its rich history, and its vibrant culture. The city is also a popular filming location and has been featured in a number of films, including "The Passion of the Christ" and "Ben-Hur."