"Sassi" is the name given to the two districts, Barisano and Caveoso, which make up part of the historic centre of Matera. The architectural style is unique, so much so as to reveal a deep link with the past. It seems to be, particularly at night, in front of a life-size crib. The ancient part of Matera, where there are houses dug into the rock, comes from ancient settlements dating back to the Palaeolithic, which in turn have suffered the influence of subsequent historical periods. Walkways and cisterns of the eleventh century, fortifications of the twelfth century, signs of the Renaissance and Baroque: the ability that has had this city to adapt and transformed over millennia, without erasing the signs of the past, is one of the reasons why the Sassi of Matera are a World Heritage Site. In the 50s, due to a very critical sanitary situation, the Italian State decided to displace the Sassi, an event that promoted the development of the modern part of the city.