Palombaro Lungo

The Palombaro Lungo is the largest underground cistern in Matera. It lies beneath Piazza Vittorio Veneto, the city’s main square, and is a true cathedral of water carved into the rock: about 18 metres high and some fifty metres long, it could hold around 5 million litres of water.

History

In Matera, water has always been a precious resource. In the Sassi, every house had its own cistern, fed by a system of channels that collected rainwater and spring water. The Palombaro came about by linking several existing caves in the 16th century, when the population grew and new water reserves were needed. The great cistern was completed in 1882 to a design by the engineer Rosi and collected the water flowing down from the hills of Nera, Lapillo and Macamarda.

Residents drew water by lowering buckets through two openings in the square. The Palombaro remained in use for about a century and a half, until 1927, when the Acquedotto Pugliese (Apulian Aqueduct) arrived. It was then forgotten beneath the square, until in 1991 a group of researchers led by Enzo Viti rediscovered it and crossed it by inflatable boat.

What to see

• The great hall, with rock walls coated in waterproof plaster and walkways that allow you to move through the space.
• The marks of the water level and the wells from which water was drawn in the square.
• The water system of the Sassi, explained along the route, which helps you understand why Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

How to get there

• On foot: the entrance is in Piazza Vittorio Veneto, in the city centre. From Matera Centrale railway station of the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane, it is a few minutes’ walk.
• From the square, a descent leads into the Sasso Barisano; nearby is also the rock-cut church of San Pietro Barisano.

Useful information

• No booking is required: you pay at the ticket office and, if it is busy, you may wait a few minutes.
• Entry is free, with an information leaflet available in several languages.
• Animals are not allowed inside.