Casa Noha: A Gateway to Matera's Timeless Heritage and Culture

Matera, the European Capital of Culture 2019, you might want to start your journey from Casa Noha, a FAI property that introduces visitors to the history of the city and its famous Sassi. Casa Noha is a noble palace from the 1500s once belonged to the ancient noble Noha family. The building is located two steps away from the Duomo inside the Civita, the natural fortress that was once fortified separating the two ancient districts of Matera, Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano. The house has a typical tuff structure, vaulted ceilings, delicate carvings and frames, representing an example of private architecture of the Sassi.

Casa Noha offers an innovative and engaging multimedia journey that narrates the territory from different perspectives, passing from architecture to art history, from archaeology to cinema history. A video titled "The Invisible Sassi", conceived by Giovanni Carrada and projected on the walls of the internal rooms of Casa Noha, accompanies visitors in an extraordinary journey into the history of Matera, offering a complete reconstruction of the city's history, from its origins to the present day. 

The video shows how Matera was shaped by a friable and porous rock like tuff, how it was inhabited since prehistoric times, how it became a flourishing center of Byzantine culture, how it suffered poverty and degradation after the Second World War, how it was rediscovered by artists and writers like Carlo Levi, how it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 and how it is now a vibrant and creative city.

Casa Noha is not only a museum but also a place of knowledge and memory of a millenary history, that of Matera, written on a rock. It is a place where visitors can discover the typical architecture of the Sassi, the extraordinary urban ecosystem that constitutes a rare example of careful use of natural resources over time: water and soil. It is also a place where visitors can learn about the cultural heritage of Matera, its artistic expressions, its traditions and its identity.

Casa Noha is open all year long and it is accessible to everyone. It is a perfect starting point for exploring Matera and its surroundings, with guided tours and experiences designed for small groups by professional guides of the local FAI. You can choose among different itineraries, such as Matera and Water, Trekking in the Murgia Park, Sassi and Cinema, The Matera of Olivetti. All the itineraries can be customized and carried out with collective or private visits.

If you want to immerse yourself in the history and beauty of Matera, don't miss Casa Noha, a FAI property that will make you fall in love with this city.

Exploring Matera