Days full of emotion and joy for Basilicata and southern Italy, lived with great excitement and for the start of Matera 2019, where the city of Matera was credited with the title of European Capital of Culture.
What is Matera 2019
Above all, Matera 2019 is a great opportunity not to be missed for Italy! Indeed, every year since 1985, a European city has been chosen as the "European capital of culture", presenting its own identity and traditions on an international level.
This year it touched Italy and won Matera among the various nominations proposed such as Siena, Perugia, Ravenna, Cagliari and Lecce.
Why Matera is the capital of culture
The city of Matera is known for its "Stones" that is the ancient part of the city consisting of a system of houses built in the tuff rock along the slope of a valley called Gravina and inhabited since the Paleolithic.
This system, combined with the particular natural conformation and charm of the places, has a character of uniqueness such as to bring Matera into the UNESCO heritage.
In addition to the historical-artistic and landscape, Matera has been awarded the title of "capital of culture" for the great attention placed in the drafting of the program with an eye to the aspect of new digital technologies and the synergy between institutions and associations in the realization of projects aimed at attracting a large number of visitors, thus increasing also the tourism sector.
Matera 2019: when it starts and what to see
The inauguration of Matera 2019 is January 19th and the opening ceremony includes more than two thousand musicians gathered in the city in agreat atmosphere of music created not only by the marching bands of Lucania region, but also those from all over Europe arrived for the occasion.
The musicians will run through the city's districts, playing their repertoire until they converge on the Sassi area in the evening, where a concert will be held with a live broadcast on Eurovision.
In addition to visiting the unique beauties of the city of Matera, such as to be chosen in 2004 by Mel Gibson as a film set for his movie "The Passion of the Christ", during the year of Matera 2019 you can attend to about 300 events in the program including exhibitions, concerts, shows and travel-experiences such as "Breadaway-The streets of bread" where you will relive the phases that lead from wheat to bread through workshops, shows and narrative installations.
The events calendar of Matera 2019 is continuously updated and available on the official website.
Matera 2019 Card
The Matera 2019 card, called "passaporto unico" costs 19€ and allows you to experience Matera 2019 in all its nuances giving you the right to participate in all the events of the official program.