Cave Village Fasano - Cave Homes, Fasano, Puglia, Italy.

The Cave Settlement (Insediamenti Rupestri) in the Parco Rupestre di Lama D'Antico (Rock Park of the ancient blades) east of Fasano (see map), head east towards Savelletri on the Viale Stazione, just after the station roundabout there is a sign off to the right and it is immediately on your left, once there park up by the small ticket office.

The entrance fee is just 2.5 euros or I would recommend taking the excellent guided tour in English for only 35 euros to get the best out of your visit. Although there is evidence of bronze age inhabitation, most of the history dates from the 10th century when the people of Fasano Egnazia left and built homes here to avoid detection from the Moors, pirates and other invaders, forming a village which at its peak had homes, industry, churches, farms and approximately 1,000 inhabitants.

People lived here for 6 centuries before then presumably moving to what is now Fasano, since then they have been used as farm buildings and storage. The site is now owned and administered by the local council to preserve and show it for future generations.

You can wander through the old river gorge and see the many cave homes cut right into the soft limestone. Many are open to the public (although a few are  bricked up due to them being in a dangerous condition) where you will find all manner of shelves, niches, steps and beds formed into the walls for humans and animals, often shared. Some have pits for storing grain which are unprotected so watch your step. Look out for the ingenious channels cut into the cliffs that allowed rain water to be collected in bowls dug into the floors.

Probably the most famous of the caves is the Church still with frescos adorning the walls, which was shared by the local Latin faith and by the Greek Byzantine monks who lived here after being expelled from Sicily. Other nearby caves show signs of being used as a pharmacy by the monks who prepared their potions from the wild plant growing in the valley. Click the photos for a larger and higher quality image.

• Address;

  • Fasano (Br)
    72015
    Apulia
    Italy
    Telephone; (0039) 349 824 1088 or 331 573 5337
    Email; associazionegnathia@libero.it

Cave Village Fasano - Cave Homes, Fasano, Puglia, Italy. Visitor information about the Cave Village in Fasano, Puglia Italy, the cave homes and churches, including photographs.