The Ex Convent of Santa Lucia, located in the historic heart of Matera, is a monument of great historical and cultural importance dating back to 1617. Originally founded as a convent for the nuns of the Order of Saint Clare, the building stands out for its Renaissance architecture with Baroque influences, characterized by worked stone facades and richly decorated interiors
Following the suppression of religious orders in the Napoleonic era, the convent was used for various purposes, including a school and hospital, until its recent transformation into a cultural center. Today, the Ex Convent of Santa Lucia is a landmark for the community, hosting events, art exhibitions, and performances, significantly contributing to the cultural life of Matera.
The halls of the convent, with cross-vaulted ceilings and period frescoes, offer a unique and evocative space for artistic exhibitions. The adjacent church, still consecrated and used for religious functions, is a splendid example of sacred art, with marble altars, canvases by Italian masters of the seventeenth century, and a wooden statue of the eponymous saint, the work of local sculptors.
The cloister of the convent, restored while maintaining its original features, is a place of peace and contemplation. With its central garden and arcades overlooking the columns, the cloister often serves as a venue for cultural meetings, literary readings, and small concerts, taking advantage of the natural acoustics of the site.
The Ex Convent of Santa Lucia is not just a container for events but also an active promoter of Materan culture. It regularly collaborates with educational institutions for workshops and seminars that range from art to history, from music to literature, facilitating ongoing dialogue among various disciplines.
A recent project has seen part of the convent converted into an artist residency, welcoming artists, writers, and musicians from around the world, offering them space and inspiration among the historic walls to create new works that dialogue with tradition and innovation.
The convent’s library, once reserved for the nuns, is now open to the public and contains a vast collection of manuscripts, incunabula, and ancient books, representing an invaluable resource for scholars and enthusiasts of history and religious art.
Each year, the Ex Convent of Santa Lucia celebrates the feast of its patron saint, an event that attracts visitors and faithful from throughout the district to participate in masses
, processions, and festivities that evoke the deep roots of the convent in the community life of Matera.
The management of the Ex Convent of Santa Lucia is exemplary in how it integrates the conservation of historical-artistic heritage with cultural innovation, making the convent a model of cultural reuse in Italy and a shining example of how historic spaces can adapt to new functions.
In conclusion, the Ex Convent of Santa Lucia is not just a historic building to be admired, but a living entity that continues to evolve and actively contribute to the culture of Matera, preserving its glorious past while looking to the future with innovative and inclusive initiatives.