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EUROUTOPIAEUROUTOPIA

MASSAFRAMASSAFRAITALYITALY

Massafra, situated Massafra, situated about 16 km from about 16 km from Taranto in a region Taranto in a region called Puglia at 110 called Puglia at 110 metres above sea metres above sea level, is in the south of level, is in the south of Italy. It is a unique Italy. It is a unique blend of history, art, blend of history, art, culture and pleasant culture and pleasant landscapes. Its sandy landscapes. Its sandy shores, surrounded by shores, surrounded by a verdant and dense a verdant and dense pinewood, are lovely pinewood, are lovely but its ravines are a but its ravines are a real treasure. real treasure.

The pattern of settelement The pattern of settelement is stratified, from the is stratified, from the primitive cave villages, to primitive cave villages, to the old town centre and to the old town centre and to the expanding modern the expanding modern estates.estates.

The centre, has a typical The centre, has a typical regional flavour with its regional flavour with its groupings of little white groupings of little white houses interpersed with houses interpersed with arches, alleyways, steps, arches, alleyways, steps, balconies and drops balconies and drops common to the common to the Mediterranean urban Mediterranean urban panorama. panorama.

HISTORY OF THE RAVINES HISTORY OF THE RAVINES

The ravines, winding down The ravines, winding down tortously to the valley tortously to the valley below, are a peculiarity of below, are a peculiarity of the region. They are the the region. They are the product of the slow action product of the slow action of the weather on the of the weather on the limestone rock and have limestone rock and have been compared to the been compared to the canyons of Colorado.canyons of Colorado.

They have also been They have also been defined as “negative defined as “negative mountains” impressed mountains” impressed downwards into the downwards into the terrain.terrain.

Many of them have been Many of them have been used for human habitation, used for human habitation, while others were natural while others were natural spontaneous defences. The spontaneous defences. The origins of Massafra, with its origins of Massafra, with its 40 thousand inhabitans, 40 thousand inhabitans, are lost in the mists of are lost in the mists of time. It probably originated time. It probably originated as a fortified village on the as a fortified village on the highlands of Citignano in highlands of Citignano in about the 8th century b.C., about the 8th century b.C., and gained in prestige and gained in prestige after the Roman age. after the Roman age.

In the Middle Ages there was the In the Middle Ages there was the development of a cave-dwelling development of a cave-dwelling civilization, caused by Basilian monks civilization, caused by Basilian monks escaping iconoclastic persecutions. They escaping iconoclastic persecutions. They joined the original population. joined the original population.

Life in caves and ravines was Life in caves and ravines was widespread in all the South widespread in all the South of Italy: settlements among of Italy: settlements among the winding gorges, canyons, the winding gorges, canyons, woods and highlands are woods and highlands are common in Puglia, Basilicata, common in Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria and Campania. The Calabria and Campania. The age of the ancient age of the ancient settlements spans more than settlements spans more than 800 years, from the 8th to 800 years, from the 8th to the 16th century, and shows the 16th century, and shows an extraordinary range of an extraordinary range of styles and architectural styles and architectural motifs, being easily motifs, being easily compared with those of compared with those of Cappadocia, Serbia and Cappadocia, Serbia and Georgia. Georgia.

The caves offered The caves offered hospitality to a growing hospitality to a growing population of refugees population of refugees and local inhabitants. and local inhabitants. Artificial caves were Artificial caves were dug alongside the dug alongside the natural ones to form natural ones to form rock settlements. The rock settlements. The dwellings were dwellings were generally made up of generally made up of one or two rooms with one or two rooms with monolithic partition monolithic partition walls and low, flat walls and low, flat ceilings. ceilings.

Fireplaces were dug into the walls adjacent to the entrance, and other niches were cut for Fireplaces were dug into the walls adjacent to the entrance, and other niches were cut for the family: for grapepresses, oil, honey, legumes and water vessels. The walls and ceilings the family: for grapepresses, oil, honey, legumes and water vessels. The walls and ceilings contained holes to support sleeping benches and wooden planks to store food or to hang contained holes to support sleeping benches and wooden planks to store food or to hang lamps. Some caves contained mangers too. Unfortunately, this heritage has not survived lamps. Some caves contained mangers too. Unfortunately, this heritage has not survived the ravages of time, the weather and the man himself. Only in recent times local and the ravages of time, the weather and the man himself. Only in recent times local and national projects have been undertaken to saveguard this cultural patrimony.national projects have been undertaken to saveguard this cultural patrimony.

Gravina of San MarcoGravina of San Marco If tourists want to visit the If tourists want to visit the

town, the itinerary takes town, the itinerary takes them first to the “Gravina them first to the “Gravina of San Marco”, which splits of San Marco”, which splits the town into two parts, the town into two parts, crossed by several bridges, crossed by several bridges, then to the “Gravina of then to the “Gravina of Madonna della Scala”.Madonna della Scala”.

It is worth mentioning the It is worth mentioning the “House of Igumeno” ( the “House of Igumeno” ( the religious and political chief religious and political chief of the local community), of the local community), the “Crypt of San Biagio”, the “Crypt of San Biagio”, “S. Marina” and “S. “S. Marina” and “S. Marco”, the “Crypt of Marco”, the “Crypt of Candelora”, “Serafino” and Candelora”, “Serafino” and finally the amazing castle.finally the amazing castle.

Gravina of Madonna della ScalaGravina of Madonna della Scala In the north of Massafra, there In the north of Massafra, there

is the “ Valle delle rose”, so is the “ Valle delle rose”, so called because of its thick called because of its thick vegetation full of medicinal vegetation full of medicinal plants, giving the ravine and plants, giving the ravine and the town a touch of magic. The the town a touch of magic. The vegetation is the classical vegetation is the classical Mediterranean mixture of Mediterranean mixture of pines, oaks, ilexes, mingled pines, oaks, ilexes, mingled with junipers, rosemaries, with junipers, rosemaries, thymes and myrtles. This thymes and myrtles. This ravine has become a place of ravine has become a place of legends and miths. An example legends and miths. An example is the Madonna della Scala is the Madonna della Scala ( Our Lady of the Steps), object ( Our Lady of the Steps), object of deep devotion. A superb of deep devotion. A superb Sanctuary devoted to the Sanctuary devoted to the Madonna hangs upon the rocks Madonna hangs upon the rocks downward in the ravine. The downward in the ravine. The rural church is rich in antique rural church is rich in antique frescoes. frescoes.

There are about thirty other There are about thirty other crypts spread over the crypts spread over the territory around Massafra, territory around Massafra, some of which of great some of which of great architectural and architectural and iconographic value. The iconographic value. The “Crypt of Bona Nova” lies “Crypt of Bona Nova” lies inside the ravine of inside the ravine of Madonna della Scala. In the Madonna della Scala. In the town centre there is the town centre there is the “Crypt of S. Anthony (the “Crypt of S. Anthony (the abbot), S. Leonardo, S. abbot), S. Leonardo, S. Caterina”. In the surronding Caterina”. In the surronding countryside there are the countryside there are the crypts of “ S. Simone, S. crypts of “ S. Simone, S. Angelo di Colombata, Angelo di Colombata, Panareddozza, S. Simine in Panareddozza, S. Simine in Pantaleo”, etc…Pantaleo”, etc…

The caves give way gradually to the modern The caves give way gradually to the modern dwellings spreading along the slopes of the dwellings spreading along the slopes of the ravines to merge with the urban hinterland.ravines to merge with the urban hinterland.