The Sassi of Matera is a very special place in Italy.

They are located in the region called Basilicata and are made up of houses carved into the rock.

These houses were built a long time ago by people who lived there.

They used a rock called tuff to build the houses and did everything naturally.

The locals have transformed these houses into comfortable and welcoming places, creating indoor spaces that extend over multiple levels.

The Sassi of Matera were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

This means they are very important to all of us because they represent the history and culture of the ancient area.

Today, the Sassi of Matera are one of Italy's most popular tourist destinations, attracting thousands of visitors from all over the world each year.

Furthermore, the Sassi of Matera were originally a rock-cut environment that extended from the opposite side of the canyon dug by the Gravina of Matera.

The western slope on which this city was built is composed of steep walls that overlook a stream below and terraces, hills, and plateaus more suitable for human settlement above.

The earliest human settlements in Matera date back to the Paleolithic period and developed in caves in the rock-cut environment of the city.

Over time, humans continued to modify this landscape, carving and shaping the mother rock, mainly exploiting the tuff, a friable rock that offered an exceptional possibility of settlement sheltered from atmospheric agents.