Long Diver

The Palombaro Lungo of Matera is an impressive underground cistern located in the heart of the city, beneath Piazza Vittorio Veneto. This extraordinary example of hydraulic engineering, dating back to the 19th century, was built to collect and store rainwater, ensuring water supply to the people of Matera at a time when access to water was a crucial challenge. The construction of the Palombaro Lungo began in 1832 on the initiative of architect Luigi Iezzi, who designed a system of interconnected cisterns to make the most of the geological characteristics of the area. The Palombaro Lungo is the largest of these cisterns, with a capacity of about five million liters of water. Its walls are lined with cocciopesto, a waterproofing material used since Roman times, which ensures the preservation of water without leaks. Access to the Palombaro Lungo is through a staircase that leads visitors into the depths of the earth, revealing a vast underground space that extends over 15 meters in height. The cistern’s tall and mighty walls are interspersed with arches and pillars that give the environment a majestic and solemn appearance. Walking along the passages and suspended bridges, one can observe the ingenious system of channeling rainwater into the cistern. The history of the Palombaro Lungo is closely linked to that of Matera and its ability to adapt and thrive in a challenging natural environment. The city is located on a limestone plateau characterized by hot and dry summers and harsh winters, conditions that made water supply a matter of vital importance. The Palombaro Lungo represents the ingenious response of the people of Matera to this challenge, an example of how architecture and engineering can be used to improve quality of life. During the 20th century, with the advent of more modern water systems, the Palombaro Lungo fell into disuse and was gradually forgotten. However, in the 1990s, a restoration and enhancement project promoted by the Municipality of Matera brought this extraordinary heritage back to light, making it accessible to the public. Today, the Palombaro Lungo is one of the main tourist attractions in Matera, visited every year by thousands of people fascinated by its history and grandeur. The importance of the Palombaro Lungo is not only technical and functional, but also cultural and symbolic. The cistern represents the ability of a community to face and overcome environmental difficulties through ingenuity and cooperation. Furthermore, visiting the Palombaro Lungo offers a unique opportunity to reflect on the value of water as a precious and limited resource, a topic of great relevance in an era of climate change and global water crises. From an architectural point of view, the Palombaro Lungo is a masterpiece of hydraulic engineering. Its structure, although functional, is also aesthetically fascinating, with its imposing arches and smooth surfaces. The light filtering through the openings creates plays of shadows and reflections that add a touch of mystery and beauty to the underground environment. Guided tours of the Palombaro Lungo allow visitors to explore these evocative spaces, accompanied by stories and anecdotes that reveal the secrets of its construction and operation. An interesting anecdote concerns the discovery of a secret passage during the restoration works. This passage, hidden for decades, connected the Palombaro Lungo to a network of underground tunnels that extend beneath the entire city of Matera. This discovery further enriched the understanding of the complexity and extent of the Matera hydraulic system, revealing an underground world still partially unexplored. The Palombaro Lungo is also a place of historical memory. During World War II, the cistern was used as an air raid shelter, providing shelter to the population of Matera during bombings. This improvised but vital use adds an additional layer of meaning to the history of the Palombaro Lungo, transforming it from a simple hydraulic infrastructure to a witness of the resilience and courage of the people of Matera.