One of Matera’s landmarks is a series of churches carved into the rock, which are part of the Parco della Murgia Materana. They have survived to this day and house stunning works of art.

The Chiesa di San Pietro Barisano features an impressive carved Romanesque façade, while the Santa Lucia alle Malve church contains frescoes depicting Saint Nicholas, the Virgin Mary, and other saints. The setting of these churches—by day, and at night when they are illuminated—transports visitors back to the early years of Christianity, when monasteries, small churches, and community chapels were established within the large tuff rocks.