The rock dwellings are an extraordinary and fascinating discovery on tourist itineraries in the Brindisi area. Cave-houses, cave-churches and cave-workshops quite rightly belong to the civil, religious and artistic history of this old land. The rock phenomenon began in the seventh century, when monastic communities from the Byzantine east settled in these impervious sites. But cave life also concerned the civil population, who left many traces of their presence in this underground world. A number of civil settlements have the appearance of real villages, with paths, rainwater collection systems, store rooms and pens for animals. The physical and ideal centre of each settlement is the Church, with fascinating traces of frescoes on its walls.