Saxa Mater
A story of stone, family, and a return to one's roots.
There are places you choose. And others that, somehow, seem to choose you.
The origins
Stone, memory, shelter.
Saxa Mater was born in Pietrapertosa, among the rocks of the Lucanian Dolomites, in a village where stone is not just part of the landscape: it is memory, shelter, character. It is in the houses, the alleys, the mountains that surround the village, and in the history of the generations who have lived here.
The project was born from the Santomauro family's wish to create something that belonged deeply to this place while also being able to open it up to the world.
Not simply apartments to rent, but a place to stop, get to know Pietrapertosa, and feel, even just for a few days, part of its story.
The name
Saxa Mater.
Even the name holds this idea.
Saxa
The rocks.
Strength, solidity, roots.
Mater
The mother.
Origin, family, hospitality.
Two words of Latin inspiration that tell what we wanted this project to be: a place born from stone and made to welcome.
The dwellings' names
Five apartments, five stories.
We wanted every apartment to have its own identity too. That's why there are no room numbers: there are five names, chosen to tell five fragments of Pietrapertosa.
- ARX
The clifftop village.
- Arabata
The Arab legacy.
- Bicocca
The rock that watches over the village.
- Castellum
The fortress on the mountain.
- Petraperciata
At the origins of Pietrapertosa.
They weren't chosen simply because they sounded good. They are our way of bringing a small piece of the village into every apartment.
Hospitality, our way
True luxury is having time.
We believe true luxury isn't necessarily about having more. It's about having space, silence, beauty and time.
It's waking up surrounded by the Lucanian Dolomites. Walking the village streets while they're still quiet. Stopping to talk with someone from here. Eating something that tells the story of this land. Coming back in the evening and feeling at home.
That's why Saxa Mater wants to offer hospitality made of care, simplicity and authenticity, without giving up contemporary comfort.
We want every guest to leave knowing Pietrapertosa a little better. And maybe with the wish to come back.
Looking ahead
Without forgetting where we come from.
Saxa Mater was born from restoring an existing building and giving it new life. But for us, the project doesn't end within its walls.
In our own small way, we want to help tell the story of an extraordinary area, celebrating its history, traditions, products and, above all, its people.
Because we believe the future of small villages shouldn't be to become backdrops visited for a few hours. They must remain places to live.
Saxa Mater is our way of believing in Pietrapertosa. With respect for what it has been, and trust in what it can still become.
Welcome to Saxa Mater.
Welcome to our story.
