Matera

The city of Matera has a long and rich history of Christian faith and architecture. Matera preserves a large and diverse collection of buildings related to the Christian faith, including a large number of rupestrian churches carved from the calcarenite rock of the region. These churches, which are also found in the neighbouring region of Apulia, were listed in the 1998 World Monuments Watch by the World Monuments Fund. Matera was also included in the 2004 World Monuments Watch.

Matera’s rupestrian churches are some of the most unique and interesting examples of Christian architecture in the world. These churches were carved out of the calcarenite rock of the region and are found in both Matera and the neighbouring region of Apulia. The churches are listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and are a popular tourist destination.