Crypt of Original Sin tour in Matera: 8th-century frescoes

Frescoes from the 8th century painted into the living rock

A 90-minute guided tour of the Crypt of Original Sin near Matera takes you into a rock sanctuary decorated with frescoes from the 8th and 9th centuries, attributed to the Painter of the Flowers of Matera. Private transport from the city center and entrance tickets are included. You choose between a live guide or an audio guide. The site is not recommended for pregnant travelers or those with cardiovascular concerns, and moderate fitness is needed to navigate the terrain.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit the Crypt of Original Sin

• Start from Matera city center
• Discover the Crypt of Original Sin
• Admire 8th-9th century frescoes
• Experience art, history, and spirituality

The experience

The Crypt of Original Sin is a rock complex carved into the Murgia landscape outside Matera, its walls covered in frescoes depicting Apostles, Archangels, the Virgin Queen, and scenes of Creation and Original Sin. The paintings, created between the 8th and 9th centuries, represent one of the most important surviving examples of Benedictine-Beneventan art. The tour begins at Matera's center, where you're picked up for the drive to the site. Once there, you walk into the rock sanctuary itself: an experience the operator describes as merging art, spirituality, and history into a single immersive moment.

The 90-minute visit includes entrance to the crypt and your choice of a live guide in English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language, or an audio guide that lets you move at your own pace. The frescoes are the focus: you'll stand in front of the cycles of religious imagery, the mysterious Painter's work still visible in the pigment and composition after more than a thousand years. This is not a conventional sightseeing tour: the operator frames it as an intense, unconventional experience built around understanding the deep connection between the people who made these images and the rock landscape they carved them into.

What’s included

• Private transportation from central Matera to the crypt.
• entrance tickets to the Crypt of Original Sin.
• choice of live guide in multiple languages or audio guide.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:30, 12:00 and 15:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (18 to 75 years) · Youth (7 to 17 years) · Child (under 7)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPets welcomeNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditions

Operated by Passi nei Sassi

Is this one for you?The private pickup from Matera's center means you don't need a car or arrange your own transport to reach the site, and the 90-minute duration fits easily into a morning or afternoon without dominating the day.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (7 to 17 years); Child (under 7).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What are the frescoes in the Crypt of Original Sin depicting?

The frescoes show Apostles, Archangels, the Queen Virgin, and scenes of Creation and Original Sin, painted between the 8th and 9th centuries by the Painter of the Flowers of Matera. They represent one of the most important surviving works of Benedictine-Beneventan art.

How do I get to the Crypt of Original Sin from Matera?

Private transportation from the center of Matera is included in the tour. You'll be picked up at the start and driven to the rock complex in the Murgia landscape outside the city.

Can I choose between a guide and an audio guide?

Yes. The tour includes entrance tickets and your choice of a live guide in English, Spanish, Italian, French or another language, or an audio guide so you can explore at your own pace.

How long does the tour take?

The tour lasts 90 minutes from start to finish, including the drive from Matera's center and the time spent inside the crypt viewing the frescoes.

Is this tour suitable for everyone?

The tour is not recommended for pregnant travelers or those with poor cardiovascular health. Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness to navigate the rock terrain.