Matera Italy by Angelo Guida. Matera the capital of the province of Matera located in the region of Basilicata in Southern Italy. "Over the course of history, Matera has been occupied by Greeks, Romans, Longobards, Byzantines, Saracens, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese, and Bourbons. It's original settlement lies in two canyons carved by the Gravina River. This area, the Sassi di Matera, is a complex of cave dwellings carved into the ancient river canyon." The cave area long abandoned for more modern housing has since the 1980s been revitalized as a "noted historic tourism destination, with hotels, small museums and restaurants-and a vibrant arts community". (Source Wikipedia.org)