The network of rock churches in the territory of gravine of Mottola (Ta). Recovery and enhancement

Abstract

The area of Mottola gravine, in the province of Taranto, is marked by a dense network of rural churches, today threatened by abandonment and oblivion. In most cases they are buildings completely carved into the rock, that the local historiography leads back to the high Middle age and the second Byzantine domination of the territory. On the basis of accurate measurements, this paper intends to bring new elements of knowledge. The objective is to activate the protection and safeguarding measures, stop the obsolescence and degradation, with restoration of surfaces and structures where necessary, and, congruently, to explore the possibility of systematize the churches recovering, for the purpose of religious tourism, but not only, the tracks of the pilgrims and the stairways access to the various gravines. All this keeping in mind the sum of the values at stake and the issues related to accessibility and modern use.

Keywords

• Chiese rupestri
• Gravine
• Paesaggio
• Restauro
• Valorizzazione