Matera - Old and New

While we were staying in the historic Sassi area of Matera, we still got to admire some the “newer” parts of Matera as we made our way from the carpark to our accommodation and back. Like I said, I wish we had more time to explore this interesting town as we passed by some very interesting buildings.

One was the Chiesa del Purgatoria, Church of Purgatory, which was built between 1725 and 1747. It was constructed as a place for people to pray for the souls trapped in limbo between heaven and hell. The reason it caught my eye was the decoration of skulls and crossbones on the exterior of the church. The main door is divided into 36 panels, each devoted to the theme of death, with skulls and crossbones sometimes crowned with headgear belonging to rules and prelates, intended to emphasise the fact that all men are equal after death. Above the doors were adorned with skeletons, almost every nook was decorated featuring skulls and skeletons. It certainly is an interesting building and one I would like to explore next time we visit.

One of the things I love about the Sassi area with its rejuvenation, is the effort made to bring in some plants and greenery and some interesting sculpture and statues to make the area more interesting. There were so many photographic corners that contributed to the uniqueness and specialness of the Sassi di Matera.Read more