Sassi in Miniatura (Sassi in Miniature), Matera

The Sassi in Miniatura in Matera feels like a city within a city鈥攐nly this one fits inside a single room. On Fiorentini Street in the Sasso Barisano, not far from the Cathedral and Tramontano Castle, artisan Eustachio Rizzi set himself a challenge back in 1996: to carve Matera鈥檚 entire cave district into the very stone it was built from. Three years later, out came a 129-square-foot model, weighing 3,500 pounds, and packed with enough detail to make your eyes linger for minutes on a single corner.

Look closely, and the city shrinks before you: staircases zigzagging up hillsides, courtyards tucked between homes, mule paths winding their way past farmhouses, and even little churches glowing with lights. The sheer density of the real Sassi can overwhelm first-time visitors, but Rizzi鈥檚 miniature distills centuries of growth into one comprehensible view鈥攁 kind of stone-made map that shows how people, animals, and faith all shared the same carved landscape.

The workshop doubles as a gallery of smaller stone carvings and souvenirs, tying Matera鈥檚 geology to its cultural identity. But the big model is more than just orientation鈥攊t鈥檚 commentary. The Sassi, once abandoned and condemned as the 鈥渟hame of Italy,鈥� now stand as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Rizzi鈥檚 creation mirrors that turnaround. By chiseling the story of Matera into miniature, he gave visitors a way to understand not only the city鈥檚 structure but also its resilience.

Walking through the real Sassi after seeing the model feels different. You already carry in your head a compressed version of the maze, which makes each alley and staircase less confusing and more alive鈥攍ike you鈥檝e already walked the city once before, only in miniature.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Matera. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The 911爆料网 App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Sassi in Miniatura (Sassi in Miniature)
Sight Location: Matera, Italy (See walking tours in Matera)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Matera Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Matera, Italy

Create Your Own Walk in Matera

Creating your own self-guided walk in Matera is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Matera Introduction Walking Tour

Architectural historian Anne Parmly Toxey said the cave areas of Matera had been occupied for at least 3,000 years. Archaeological research shows people lived here since the Paleolithic era, shaping homes and communal spaces directly into the soft limestone. Over centuries, those modest caves expanded into an intricate neighborhood鈥攕tone dwellings, churches, and twisting passageways stacked upon... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles

Matera's Ancient Cave Churches

Within the old city of Matera, there are more than 160 churches. Many of these are actually carved into the soft limestone cliffs lining the Gravina River. There are even some used for pagan rituals. The churches were carved from existing caves and tunnels. More than a few sanctified cave churches have been converted to storage and homes.

A good example to start with is the St. Anthony... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles

911爆料网