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About
Piazza del Sedile is a square in Matera, located between Piazza Vittorio Veneto and Piazza Duomo, a transit place in your way to the Civita, the highest point in the city.
SHORT HISTORY OF PIAZZA DEL SEDILE
During the 14th century, the square was called Piazza Maggiore, and was the main hub of the town, housing the market, warehouses and shops.
Around the middle of the 16th century, Matera was a free city, under the authority of the King, but not controlled by a feudal lord, like other places belonging to the Kingdom of Naples.
Therefore, the town was governed by a self-organized assembly of citizens, whose task was to administer the city and the surrounding territories. This assembly was called Sedile.
Subsequently, the square became a political and administrative center, with the governor’s offices, the prison and the municipal building known as Palazzo del Sedile (Palace of the Seat) located here.
In the decades following the Unification of Italy, the assembly of Sedile was replaced by the Commissariat for Civic Uses (Commissariato agli Usi Civici).
Today, the square plays a socio-economic-cultural role, dictated by the presence of numerous restaurants, bars and tourist attractions.
ARCHITECTURE OF PIAZZA DEL SEDILE
The square has a well-defined geometric shape, derived from the layout of the palazzi that enclose it on all sides.
The most interesting palace is, of course, Palazzo del Sedile, located to the south of the square.
From the square, you can access the nearby Sasso Barisano through the arch of Saint Anthony that opens on the north side of the square, and Sasso Caveoso through Via Pennino, to the south of the square.
HOW TO GET TO PIAZZA DEL SEDILE
Piazza del Sedile is located about 700 meters away from the Matera Centrale railway station. To find it on foot, use the map below.
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