Things to see · Villages and old towns
Dirupo Neighbourhood, Pisticci
Pisticci (Matera)
Dirupo Neighbourhood, Pisticci is in Pisticci, province of Matera. Opening hours: Lived-in neighbourhood, always accessible. Admission: Free.
- Free.
- Lived-in neighbourhood, always accessible.
About this place
The Dirupo neighbourhood is the symbol image of Pisticci: rows of small white houses with sloping roofs, stepping down the hillside in terraces. One of the most photographed views in Basilicata.
History
On the night of 9 February 1688, a huge landslide swept through the Casalnuovo and Purgatorio neighbourhoods, killing around 400 people. The town was divided into three parts, and right where the landslide had passed, a new, orderly neighbourhood was built: the Dirupo, with around three hundred identical little houses arranged in regular rows.
What to see
• The white houses, lime-washed to protect them from the heat and damp, with gutters that collected rainwater.
• The alleys, staircases and small squares, with flower pots that stand out against the white.
• The «pacchiane», ceramic dolls hung on the walls in the traditional costume of the women of Pisticci.
• The view over the gullies (calanchi) and the surrounding hills.
How to visit
The most beautiful view of the neighbourhood is from corso Margherita and from the forecourt of the Mother Church, in the upper part of the town. Then walk down through the alleys. In the evening, with the lights on, the Dirupo is especially atmospheric.
Useful information
• It is a residential area: please visit with respect for the residents.
• Comfortable shoes are essential, because of the uphill climbs and stairs.
• Nearby are the abbey of Santa Maria del Casale and the Amaro Lucano museum; a short distance away is Craco.
