Matera, Southern Italy

📍Matera The entire city of Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main attractions are within walking distance, so it is most efficient to explore on foot. ✔️Matera was once considered a symbol of poverty and poor living conditions, but its religious heritage and the faith of its residents became the spiritual foundation for the city's reconstruction. Matera's religious background is an important element that shapes the city's landscape and culture. ✔️History of Matera The Sassi area of ​​Matera was inhabited for hundreds of years, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was notorious for overcrowding, extreme poverty, and unsanitary conditions (the limestone cave dwellings were dark and damp, making them unsanitary, and many people lived with livestock, leading to serious epidemics and hygiene problems). In 1952, the Italian government decided to vacate the Sassi area of ​​Matera, and about 15,000 residents were forcibly relocated. After the forced relocation, the Sassi area was abandoned for decades. It is said that the restoration of the Sassi region began with a reevaluation of its value as a cultural heritage site as the restoration movement continued in the 1970s and 1980s. #Overseas travel