Palombaro Lungo (Palombaro Lungo Cistern), Matera (must see)

Palombaro Lungo Cistern is more than a ordinary cistern. It has been called an underground "Water Cathedral." Located under the Vittorio Veneto Square, the Palombaro Lungo ("Long Diver") holds five million liters of rainwater and water from springs on the surrounding hills of La Nera, Lapillo, and Macamarda. The cistern is always filled. There are boat tours that explain to the visitors the history and functioning of the Palombaro Lungo.

The name "Palombaro" is thought to derive from the Latin word for a raptor that dives on its prey. It could also be from the Latin word "plumbarius," meaning water collector. "Lungo" means "long," a reference to the sheer size of the structure.

Pre-existing water caves were connected into a system to serve a burgeoning population in the 16th century. Because of the presence of people living in those caves, the Palombaro Lungo cistern was not completed until 1882. After being used for over a century, this system was abandoned in 1920 when the Apulian Aqueduct was built.

The "Diver" was rediscovered in 1991 by a group of students led by technical designer Enzo Viti. Enzo, an expert on the underground world of Matera, crossed through the cistern in a dinghy. His voyage underground made the Stones of Matera a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Visitors travel through the entire labyrinthian cistern, immersed in the atmosphere of a vast underground cathedral. The pillars, arches, apses, walls, soaring galleries, and dark, deep waters create an unforgettable experience.