- Matera; south Italy; spectacular city of the 'Sassi' (stones) . Matera is one of the oldest human settlements in the world. Thanks to the stone's malleability; man has carved caves which were used as shelters; cowsheds; sheepfolds; water cisterns; oil-mills; wine-cellars; churches and dwellings; and used the excavation material to build external staircases connecting the various levels; the roofs and the caves; creating a brilliant system fort the collection and conservation of rainwater. The燫upestrian燾hurches燼nd uber-famous燬assi; the very peculiar settlements carved into the rock; were named a UNESCO燱orld Heritage Site爄n 1993.? Matera; (Basilicata) Italy. 2021.