Editing Matera (section)

=== Natural areas ===
The ''Murgia National Park'' (Parco della Murgia Materana), a regional park established in 1990, includes the territory of the [[Gravina di Matera]] and about 150 rock churches scattered along the slopes of the ravines and the plateau of the Murgia. This area, inhabited since prehistoric times, still preserves stationing dating back to the Paleolithic, such as the Grotta dei pipistrelli (cave of the bats), and to the Neolithic.<ref>{{cite book|author=Circolo culturale La Scaletta|title=Le Chiese rupestri di Matera|publisher=De Luca ed.|year=1966}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Mario Tommaselli|title=Le masserie fortificate del materano|publisher=De Luca ed.|year=1986}}</ref> The symbol of the park is the [[lesser kestrel]].

The San Giuliano Regional Reserve, a protected area established in 2000, includes [[Lago di San Giuliano|Lake San Giuliano]], an artificial reservoir created by the damming of the Bradano river, and the river sections upstream and downstream of it.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World |edition=13 |year=2011 |publisher=Times Books |location=London |isbn=9780007419135 |page=78 K2}}</ref>

==== Timmari ====
''Colle di Timmari'', a green plateau located about 15&nbsp;km from the city, dominates the Bradano valley and the San Giuliano lake. It is a pleasant residential area, and on the top of the hill there is the small Sanctuary of San Salvatore that dates back to 1310 and an important archaeological area.

<gallery widths="135px" heights="150px">
File:Gravina di Matera (2).jpg|Gravina di Matera
File:Matera 2.jpg|Murgia National Park with prehistoric caves and rupestrian churches
File:Cavalli nel parco della Murgia.jpg|Horses in the Murgia National Park
File:Parco della Murgia Materana 15.jpg|
File:Parco della Murgia Materana 10.jpg|
File:Villaggio Saraceno2.JPG|Saracen village
File:San Luca alla Selva.JPG|Cave church of San Luca alla Selva
File:Lago San Giuliano.jpg|San Giuliano Regional Reserve
</gallery>