These Dwellings Look Like Regular Houses, But Their Walls Hide The Secrets Of A Prehistoric Past

How would you like to remember Matera? Do you want to remember it as the shame of Italy or the heritage site? Both the conditions hold true for Matera. This is the place where humans have inhabited for millennia. We have read about cavemen and their dwelling, but Matera is a living example of that. It is house to 60000 residents till date. At one point in time, the government was bound to evacuate Matera as it had become almost impossible for people to live there. Animals and humans used to share the same roof with almost no lights entering the house. Malaria, cholera, and several other diseases started increasing in this part of Italy making the average life expectancy 35 with child mortality rate 50 percent. Not many had any idea about the condition prevailing in Matera because people of Matera hardly went out of their places. The historical place was suffering due to the negligence of the government. The limestone walls of Matera held many secrets of a pre-historic past that dated back to the era before the time of Christ. One look at the world of Matera will make you fall in love with the place. It seemed that the time has frozen for this entire primeval world. Till late 1950s, there was no proper sewage system, running water or electricity. It seemed that the place couldn’t catch up with the development of the rest of the country. Matera was a forgotten place, until 1945 when the famous painter Carlo Levi brought out the true state of the place. Soon it was termed the shame of Italy. In 1993, UNESCO declared Matera as the world heritage site. The interesting fact of Matera is that it consists of 1500 caves covering an area of 2500 acres. It is like an elaborate maze that is there underneath the city. Within that, monasteries, churches, and houses were carved out. Many filmmakers took the opportunity to film their picture in the backdrop of Matera because it gave them the real feeling of that age. This amazing place of Matera had its first inhabitant as early as 7000 BC. It is considered to be the home of troglodytes, whom we know as the cavemen. Initially the caves were simple, but as the population grew, they started digging up new channels and holes to accommodate the increasing numbers. With each passing century, the dwellers also started developing new skills and the structures that are more sophisticated came into existence. Over 150 churches were found in here. It is known as Sassi (meaning stone in Italian). It is one of the longest inhabited caves because people are still living in the same. Now, many of the caves serve as luxurious spa, restaurants, and boutique hotels. This is how Matera came a long way from its shameful past to its glorious future.