La Palomba Sculpture Park
An abandoned quarry transformed into a monumental art space with colossal stone and metal sculptures. A raw, interpretive experience.
Highlights
Must-see attractions
Social
From TikTok & Reddit
Best Time
Best light for dramatic photos
La Palomba Sculpture Park
Best Time
Best light for dramatic photos
Highlights
Must-see attractions
An abandoned quarry transformed into a monumental art space with colossal stone and metal sculptures. A raw, interpretive experience.
"You can take very dramatic photos here."
🚗 Parking & Access
Park and look for the gate to the left. It's a downhill walk to the park. 🚗
⚠️ Safety First
This is an 'abandoned wild place,' not a traditional museum. Supervise children closely. ⚠️
Quick Facts
Hours
Rating
4.3 · 210 reviews
Type
Museum
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences
Colossal Stone & Metal Sculptures
Throughout the quarry
Gigantic, awe-inspiring artworks crafted from local stone and metal, some reaching 20 meters high.
The Squashed Car
Within the park
An unforgettable sculpture of a car crushed between two boulders, sparking wonder and interpretation.
Artist's Quarry Creation
The entire park
Experience a unique blend of art and landscape where sculptures and the excavated quarry feel intrinsically linked.
Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you
Planning Your Visit
Embrace the Wild Art
Navigate to the Hidden Gem
Best Times
Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
🚗 Parking & Access
Park and look for the gate to the left. It's a downhill walk to the park. 🚗
⚠️ Safety First
This is an 'abandoned wild place,' not a traditional museum. Supervise children closely. ⚠️
📸 Dramatic Photo Ops
Ideal for striking photos and portraits with unique, monumental backdrops. :camerawithflash:
🤔 Interpret the Art
Enjoy the mystery; the art is left for you to interpret without explanations. :thinking_face:
Matera Recommendations and advice
We are traveling to Puglia next September and we want to make a day trip to Matera. I know the cave churches in the Sassi are ticketed, but what about the hiking in Murgia Materana? We would like to see some of the caves and Belvedere Mugia Timone. Do we require a ticket and if…
Tips
from all over the internet
🚗 Parking & Access
Park and look for the gate to the left. It's a downhill walk to the park. 🚗
⚠️ Safety First
This is an 'abandoned wild place,' not a traditional museum. Supervise children closely. ⚠️
📸 Dramatic Photo Ops
Ideal for striking photos and portraits with unique, monumental backdrops. :camerawithflash:
🤔 Interpret the Art
Enjoy the mystery; the art is left for you to interpret without explanations. :thinking_face:
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
La Palomba Sculpture Park is a unique and awe-inspiring artistic creation within an abandoned quarry, praised for its colossal sculptures and dramatic photo opportunities. Visitors appreciate the raw, uninterpreted art experience. However, some note it's not a traditional, manicured attraction and can be challenging to access, with safety considerations for young children.
"Super cool artist made environment in an old abandoned stone quarry. Gigantic sculptures of the local stone and metal. Like 20 meters high. You can take very dramatic photos here.
Tips- (cons) only somewhat accessible. This isn’t a staff run official museum. It might not meet the safety standards you’d expect at a traditional place. It’s more like an abandoned wild place. I wouldn’t let little children run around unsupervised.
There is parking. After you park Look for the gate to the left. It’s also downhill a little bit.
It looks like the artist built his own house, art studio, and art. There are birds nesting in the cliff that will fly around. It’s up high and has good views of the landscape.
It’s refreshing to visit art and not have it explained to you. As you walk around you put the story together yourself. I don’t know if he’s still alive or not. Mystery.
The giant squashed car, crushed between 2 boulders is impressive. It makes you wonder how anyone could possibly do that. Maybe it’s a comment on a lifestyle he clearly did not have. Or maybe the car belonged to his ex-wife 😂.
If you like genuine experiences and art, good place to visit. If you want a dramatic place to take photos or an exciting background for portraits, you should visit. If you want a sanitary exhibition that explains everything to you, this is not for you. If you have a young child who doesn’t listen when you say no, I would wait a few years."
Brandi Yu
"Interesting place with art work just outside Matera"
Carl Pettersson
"I had no idea it was there or that it existed. I have never seen a more stunning sculpture park. Most such things would place a bunch of sculptures in a garden - it might be a beautiful garden and there might be beautiful sculptures, but what is the relationship between the two? Here, it's hard to say whether the sculpture existed first and then the quarry was excavated in order to reveal them, or the quarry was excavated and then the sculpture was installed. Not that Italy doesn't have plenty to offer, but for me, the park would be worth the visit by itself."
Ian McIlvaine
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
🚇 🗺️ Getting There
La Palomba Sculpture Park is located just outside Matera. While there's parking available, the exact access involves looking for a gate to the left after parking and a downhill walk. It's described as somewhat difficult to get to and not officially staff-run.
Finding it can be a bit tricky as it's described as 'small and hard to get there.' It's more of a hidden gem than a clearly marked attraction.
Given its location outside Matera and the description of parking, traveling by car is likely the most convenient option. Public transport details are scarce, suggesting a private vehicle is recommended.
🎫 🎫 Tickets & Entry
Information regarding tickets is not readily available, and one review suggests it might be closed or not officially run, implying potential free access or an unmanaged state. It's advised to check locally if possible, but it seems to operate more like an open, artistic space.
There are no official opening hours mentioned, and one visitor noted it seemed closed but they were the only ones there. It's best to visit during daylight hours for visibility and safety.
It's generally not recommended for unsupervised young children. The park is in an old, abandoned stone quarry and is described as an 'abandoned wild place' with potential safety concerns.
📸 📸 Photography
Absolutely! Visitors rave about the dramatic photo opportunities with colossal sculptures and the unique quarry landscape. It's perfect for striking portraits and artistic shots.
You can capture images of giant stone and metal sculptures, including the famous squashed car, set against the rugged backdrop of an old quarry. The scale and artistry offer endless photographic possibilities.
ℹ️ ❓ General Information
La Palomba Sculpture Park is a unique artistic environment created by an artist in an old, abandoned stone quarry near Matera, featuring gigantic sculptures made from local stone and metal.
Its uniqueness lies in the raw, artistic integration of massive sculptures within a natural quarry setting, offering an uninterpreted and immersive art experience.
One reviewer mentioned uncertainty about whether the artist is still alive, adding to the mysterious and intriguing nature of the park.
You may also like
Santuario Santa Maria della Palomba
Parco della Murgia Materana
Museum of Peasant Culture Museo Laboratorio
Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista
Pietrapertosa
Gravina di Matera
Santuario Santa Maria della Palomba
Parco della Murgia Materana
Museum of Peasant Culture Museo Laboratorio
Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista
Pietrapertosa
Gravina di Matera
Cripta del Peccato Originale
Civita di Bagnoregio
Santa Maria de Idris and San Giovanni in Monterrone
Sassi di Matera
Ipogeo Materasum
Social
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit