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The large sanctuary, or basilica, De Finibus Terrae ('End of the Land', 1720-1755), was built to commemorate the passage of St. Peter here during his travel to Italy. It is devoted to Saint Mary (from whom the town gets the name Santa Maria di Leuca). It lies on the former site of a Roman temple dedicated to Minerva.
The city of Turenum appears for the first time in the Tabula Peutingeriana, a 13th-century copy of an ancient Roman itinerary. The name, also spelled Tirenum, was that of the Greek hero Diomedes. The city was later occupied by the Lombards and the Byzantines. First certain news of an urban settlement in Trani, however, trace back only to the 9th century.
The most flourishing age of Trani was the 11th century, when it became an episcopal see in place of Canosa, destroyed by the Saracens. Its port, well placed for the Crusades, then developed greatly, becoming the most important on the Adriatic Sea. In the year 1063 Trani issued the Ordinamenta et consuetudo maris, which is "the oldest surviving maritime law code of the Latin West". There was also Jewish community in Trani, which was under the protection of the king until it was given to the Archbishop Samarus during the reign of Henry VI at the end of the 12th century. In that period many great families from the main Italian Maritime Republics (Amalfi, Pisa, Genova and Venice) established themselves in Trani. Trani, in turn, maintained a consul in Venice from 12th century. The presence of other consulates in many northern Europe centres, even in England and Netherlands, shows Trani's trading and political importance in the Middle Ages. Emperor Frederick II built a massive castle in Trani. Under his rule, in the early 13th century, the city reached its highest point of wealth and prosperity.
The plains of the Apulia region of southeastern Italy stretch out to the Adriatic from Castel del Monte near Andria.
Monopoli's name belies its Greek origins - "monos polis" meaning unique city. Today's Monopoli is unique in that, unlike many of the other coastal towns in this area that are laid-back beach resorts, it is a bustling city with a commercial center. The new town sprawls out along the coast, but Monpoli retains its charming historic center and fishing tradition.
Founded by the Greeks, taken over by the Romans and beset by various invaders, Monopoli was a thriving port town under the Byzantines and Normans. In the 1400s it was annexed by the Republic of Venice, and enjoyed a centuries-long affluence that put it in league with other maritime powers like Amalfi, Genoa and Venice. It's position in Puglia between the seas, made it strategic and prosperous.
The Porto Vecchio still harbors fishing boats as it has done for hundreds of years. Visit the beaches and inlets where the colorful crafts are docked and where fishermen still mend their nets. The Old Town is dominated by its still-solid castle, built in 1552.
Emperor Frederick II's castle, built in 1233. Rising directly from the sea, whose waves crash against its walls, the castle has a classic quadrangular form, with robust square towers at each corner. Various bits were added over the years, and the sea water-filled moat was filled in, but essentially Frederick's original structure remains. In the early 1800s it became a prison and only in 1974 were the last inmates moved to a newer establishment. It has recently been restored and is now open to the public and hosts frequent concerts, art exhibitions and other cultural events.
Molfetta is city of the Metropolitan City of Bari, Apulia, southern Italy. The origins of the city can be traced to a small fishing port; antique graves testify to a fisherman's village in the fourth century BC. The position of the future city offered a valid landing to the commerce of Roman Rubo. n.
From 1100 to 1300 the European Crusaders crossed Puglia and sailed from Brindisi to the Holy Land. There are some traces of their crossing even in Molfetta: the hall of the Templars and the small hospital of the Crusaders.
Gallipoli (Greek: Kallipolis (Καλλίπολις), meaning "Beautiful City" is a town and comune of 20,969 inhabitants in the province of Lecce, in Apulia, southern Italy.
It is located by the Ionian Sea, on the west coast of the Salentina Peninsula. The town of Gallipoli is divided into two parts, the modern and the old city. The new town includes all the newest buildings including a skyscraper. The old town is located on a limestone island, linked to the mainland by a bridge built in the 16th century.
The city of Turenum appears for the first time in the Tabula Peutingeriana, a 13th-century copy of an ancient Roman itinerary. The name, also spelled Tirenum, was that of the Greek hero Diomedes. The city was later occupied by the Lombards and the Byzantines. First certain news of an urban settlement in Trani, however, trace back only to the 9th century.
The most flourishing age of Trani was the 11th century, when it became an episcopal see in place of Canosa, destroyed by the Saracens. Its port, well placed for the Crusades, then developed greatly, becoming the most important on the Adriatic Sea. In the year 1063 Trani issued the Ordinamenta et consuetudo maris, which is "the oldest surviving maritime law code of the Latin West". There was also Jewish community in Trani, which was under the protection of the king until it was given to the Archbishop Samarus during the reign of Henry VI at the end of the 12th century. In that period many great families from the main Italian Maritime Republics (Amalfi, Pisa, Ragusa and Venice) established themselves in Trani. Trani, in turn, maintained a consul in Venice from 12th century. The presence of other consulates in many northern Europe centres, even in England and Netherlands, shows Trani's trading and political importance in the Middle Ages. Emperor Frederick II built a massive castle in Trani. Under his rule, in the early 13th century, the city reached its highest point of wealth and prosperity.
The Zinzulusa cave is one of the most interesting examples of this karst phenomenon in Salento area. It is located along the coast from Santa Cesarea Terme to Castro Marina, a coastline, really evocative for its landscape.
The name Zinzulusa derives from the presence within it of numerous stalactites and stalagmites that in the dialect of Salento are called “Zinzuli” namely rags as if they remind those particular tissues.
One of the first historical references to the Zinzulusa cave is present in a letter written by the Bishop of Castro, Monsignor Del Duca, who in 1793 provides to Ferdinand IV a detailed description of the karst cavity. About the birth of the cave and its bizarre sculpture, the prelate wanted also to recognize the columns of a temple dedicated to Minerva, erected as a tribute to the support given to Hercules in the clash with the Giants.
found during "stresspacking". what is an awful way to cope with stress, as mostly i just get even more nervous not finding what i wanted, so still not the fossils, what im after in the last 2 weeks...
The medieval walled city was built without a plan, and it shows. The web of streets is confusing, a maze of alleyways, staircases and arches. Buildings were built on top of each other, and the archways support the houses they connect, making up for the lack of strong foundations. You turn one way and find a dead end, another and get a glimpse of the sapphire sea. Puglia has seen a stream of invaders—Greeks, Romans, Goths, Byzantines, Normans—and the labyrinth of Ostuni is the perfect way to confuse the enemy.
The stark white buildings are dazzling in the southern sun and are brightened by vivid green and blue wooden doors, pots of red geraniums and cacti. In the 17th century a plague killed millions in the area and infected houses were painted white by mixing limestone dust with water. Locals noticed that there was less illness around the white houses and attributed it to a miracle; most likely it was the antibacterial effect of the calcium carbonate. Nowadays the white houses attract tourists and the local government encourages everyone to repaint every two years by paying for half the cost.
In this shot are represented the piers of the beach where I use to go every summer morning of my childhood. I tried to portrait them from a different angle during the sunset
Lecce sits at the bottom of the boot (the Salento peninsula), in the Puglia region. You won't find many natives speaking English. And the only celebrities who have properties here are Helen Mirren, who has a castle nearby, and Lord McAlpine, who owns a former convent. Lecce is absurdly unsung despite being known as 'the pearl of the Baroque'. Built largely in the 16th and 17th centuries, clearly no one said 'when' as the architects piled on the decorations. Buzzards, putti, wolves, Saracens in turbans it's ornamental mayhem The Leccese stone, from which the town is built, is so soft you can carve it with a spoon - the masons soaked it with milk to set it hard. The result is a city of golden honey hues.
Thanks to dozens of mostly Baroque-era churches packing its maze of narrow streets, Lecce, the “Florence of the South,” dazzles with elaborately carved facades and interiors that erupt with symphonies of angels, cherubs, saints, saviors and Madonna’s. But this small gem in Italy’s heel is far from a haven of monkish abstemiousness. A capital of southern Italian cooking, the city brims with rustic restaurants serving the hearty peasant cuisine and robust red wines of the Puglia region. Throw in a buzzing bar scene and nearby beaches of sun-bronzed bodies and you have a city fit for holy men and hedonists alike.
Cisternino is a comune in the province of Brindisi in Apulia, on the coast of south-eastern Italy, approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) north-west of the city of Brindisi. Its main economic activities are tourism, the growing of olives and grapes, and dairy farming.
Cisternino sits in a historic zone of Itria Valley (in Italian: Valle d'Itria), known for its prehistoric conical, dry stone roundhousess called trulli, which are preserved under UNESCO safeguards due to their cultural significance, dry stone walls (muretti a secco), and its fertile soil which makes it the home of the Salento wine region. In 2014, Cisternino was declared the cittaslow city of the year
Cisternino is a comune in the province of Brindisi in Apulia, on the coast of south-eastern Italy, approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) north-west of the city of Brindisi. Its main economic activities are tourism, the growing of olives and grapes, and dairy farming.
Cisternino sits in a historic zone of Itria Valley (in Italian: Valle d'Itria), known for its prehistoric conical, dry stone roundhousess called trulli, which are preserved under UNESCO safeguards due to their cultural significance, dry stone walls (muretti a secco), and its fertile soil which makes it the home of the Salento wine region. In 2014, Cisternino was declared the cittaslow city of the year
Ostuni is one of the most beautiful and famous towns in Apulia. Its unique historic town, called "Città Bianca" (white town) for its white walls and its typically white-painted architecture
In the summertime Ostuni is a popular destination for tourists from all over the world. The population rises from about 30,000 inhabitants in wintertime to about 100,000.
Ostuni is the fifth city in Italy for the percentage of British people residents. People from North Europe, in particular Great Britain, Ireland, Scandinavia and Germany went in Ostuni searching for good weather and good food. This particular phenomenon is called "salentoshire" and characterizes this area of Apulia since 2010.
The beehive-shaped houses scattered around the province of Puglia, in the heel of Italy, rank among the oddest-looking homes in Europe. The people of Puglia call these curious homes trulli - in the singular, trullo - and they have been building them for 5,000 years. The name probably came from trullus, the Latin word for a domed room.
For years, the Italian government has banned the construction of new trulli, fortunately, it also forbids the demolition of those that have survived. Since many are in a poor state and local builders are in demand to renovate them for new owners. Enthusiasm for trulli is a godsend to the local economy which, until recently, was dependent on its linen industry - an activity that has been severely damaged by Asian competition.
Built by hand, trulli feature pyramidal, domed or conical roofs. The limestone dwellings are remarkable examples of dry-stone - mortar less - construction, an ancient building technique still widely used in Puglia. The exterior walls - up to 6ft thick - consists of an inner and outer layer, with a filling of stones between, and are topped by a cupola. The unusual structure and the use of stone creates a "Thermos" effect that makes the trullo warm in winter and cool in summer
Leica M3, Elmarit 28, Kodak Gold 200
Otranto (Italian pronunciation: [ˈɔːtranto]; Latin: Hydruntum) is a town and comune in the province of Lecce (Apulia, Italy), in a fertile region once famous for its breed of horses.
It is located on the east coast of the Salento peninsula. The Strait of Otranto, to which the city gives its name, connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea and separates Italy from Albania. The harbour is small and has little trade.
The city of Turenum appears for the first time in the Tabula Peutingeriana, a 13th-century copy of an ancient Roman itinerary. The name, also spelled Tirenum, was that of the Greek hero Diomedes. The city was later occupied by the Lombards and the Byzantines. First certain news of an urban settlement in Trani, however, trace back only to the 9th century.
The most flourishing age of Trani was the 11th century, when it became an episcopal see in place of Canosa, destroyed by the Saracens. Its port, well placed for the Crusades, then developed greatly, becoming the most important on the Adriatic Sea. In the year 1063 Trani issued the Ordinamenta et consuetudo maris, which is "the oldest surviving maritime law code of the Latin West". There was also Jewish community in Trani, which was under the protection of the king until it was given to the Archbishop Samarus during the reign of Henry VI at the end of the 12th century. In that period many great families from the main Italian Maritime Republics (Amalfi, Pisa, Ragusa and Venice) established themselves in Trani. Trani, in turn, maintained a consul in Venice from 12th century. The presence of other consulates in many northern Europe centres, even in England and Netherlands, shows Trani's trading and political importance in the Middle Ages. Emperor Frederick II built a massive castle in Trani. Under his rule, in the early 13th century, the city reached its highest point of wealth and prosperity.
Matera is a city and a province in the region of Basilicata, in southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Matera and the capital of Basilicata from 1663 to 1806. The town lies in a small canyon carved out by the Gravina.
Known as "la Città Sotterranea" (the Subterranean City), Matera is well known for its historical center called "Sassi", considered World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1993, along with the Park of the Rupestrian Churches.
On October 17, 2014, Matera was declared Italian host of European Capital of Culture for 2019.
The Castle of Trani is one of the most important and, despite the suffered mutations, one of the best legible among the castels erected from the emperor Federico II of Swabia to guardianship of his favorite Kingdom of Sicily, inherited by his mother, the princess Norman Constanza of Altavilla.
The foundation of the castel, on a rocky more low in comparison to the firm earth and probably isolated since the origin, it involved the destruction of a modest outpost of look-out, a small tower of referable watch to the centuries X - XI, recovered under the actual entry.
Important datum on the coast pugliese of the castels system of Federico II, in the XIII century the most modern of Europe, rises not too far from the famous cathedral, strategically situated to the center of a roadstead, whose low backdrops would always be revealed a good natural defense, both from the fury of the waves and from possible attacks on the northern front.
The historic Piazza del Duomo in Lecce, Italy is the religious center of the town. The piazza is home to some of the most ornately decorated Baroque buildings in Lecce: the Duomo Cathedral, the Bishop’s Palace, the Seminary and the soaring bell tower. Unlike most piazzas, this one is enclosed on three sides with only a narrow, north side entrance off the main street, Via G. Libertini.
The first church on this site was built in 1114, followed by subsequent additions in the year 1230 and fully embellished in the Baroque style (that remains today) between 1659 and 1670. Unlike most churches, the Cathedral (Duomo) has two facades; the main one facing the square and a secondary one to honor Lecce’s patron saint, Oronzo, facing west. Both are elaborately decorated by the works of Leccese sculptures.
Ostuni is one of the most stunning cities in southern Italy famous for the dazzling effect of its whitewashed houses. It is a genuine and charming example of Mediterranean architecture. The city of Ostuni is a series of levels, staircases, small roads, alleys, arches. Hints of the middle ages are at hand in every corner, in every view to the sea, in the portal of a palace, in the walls of a convent or the front of a church. The brightness of its whitewashed houses, set against the pink-tinged brown of its principal monument, makes the town stand out in the green of the surrounding area. Is this happy combination of the natural and the manmade that has made Ostuni one of the most attractive cities in the region and an essential part of any tour of Puglia
Today it is the major departure point for car ferries loaded with tourists heading to Greece and the Balkans, but during Greek and in particular Roman times and in the Middle Ages, it served other purposes.
The Romans, who took the town from the Greeks in the middle of the 3rd century BC, set about maximising the town’s potential. Two columns (one of which still remains above the port) were erected to identify Brundisium as the end of the Appian Way, a road which had been built to facilitate the movement of goods and troops between the centre of the empire and the east Mediterranean. With the constant comings and goings of legions, the navy and trade ships, Brindisi quickly grew in size and soon had a population of some 100,000.
With the fall of the Roman Empire, Brindisi passed into the hands of the Ostrogoths, the Byzantines, the Lombards, the Saracens and then the Normans, who arrived in 1070. It was during their rule that the Crusades began leaving from Brindisi, and in 1228 Emperor Frederick II Stupor Mundi chose the town as his port of departure for the successful Sixth Crusade, during which he reclaimed Jerusalem for the Christian world.
Badly bombed during the Second World War, Brindisi spent many years rebuilding, and, especially in the last decade, the city has undergone a significant makeover. The centre is home to wide, palm-tree lined boulevards, a revamped seafront promenade with restaurants and bars, a great many winding streets, some fine Baroque churches (including the cathedral) and, last but not least, the mightily impressive fortress built by… yes, you guessed it… Emperor Frederick II!
“Beautiful city”: that’s what Gallipoli means, and the town certainly lives up to its name!
Situated on the west, Ionian coast of Puglia’s Salento peninsula, our Gallipoli may not be as famous as its Turkish namesake, site of the disastrous 1st World War battle, but its history is long and varied, its historic centre a delight and the beaches which flank it superb.
The old town centre sits on a tiny island connected to the mainland by a 17th century bridge. It is almost completely surrounded by defensive walls, built mainly in the 14th century.
The east side is dominated by a robust fortress dating back to the 13th century, but largely rebuilt in the 1500s when the town fell under Angevin control.
These fortifications tell us a lot about Gallipoli’s history: thanks to its strategic position, it was frequently under siege. Founded, so legend tells us, by Idomeneo from ancient Crete, the town soon became part of Magna Graecia and remained so until Pyrrhus, presumably following one too many disastrous victories, was defeated by the Romans!
After being sacked by hordes of Vandals and Goths, the Byzantines arrived, rebuilding the town much in the form we recognise today. Normans, Angevins and the Bourbons arrived in successive waves until the Unification of Italy in 1861.
The island heart of Gallipoli is home to numerous impressive Baroque churches and aristocratic palazzi, testament to the town's former wealth as a trading port. A labyrinthine weave of narrow streets all eventually lead to the broader sea-front promenade with its wonderful views.
In the summer months cafes, bars and restaurants proliferate onto the pavements making for an extremely pleasant atmosphere, while the beach, La Spiaggia della Purita, is an attraction in its own right. An evening passeggiata (pre-prandial stroll) around the walls, looking out to sea, is a great way to prepare for a fresh fish dinner.
Leica M3, Elmarit 28, Kodak Gold 200
Molfetta is city of the Metropolitan City of Bari, Apulia, southern Italy. The origins of the city can be traced to a small fishing port; antique graves testify to a fisherman's village in the fourth century BC. The position of the future city offered a valid landing to the commerce of Roman Rubo. n.
From 1100 to 1300 the European Crusaders crossed Puglia and sailed from Brindisi to the Holy Land. There are some traces of their crossing even in Molfetta: the hall of the Templars and the small hospital of the Crusaders.
Trani is a seaport on the Adriatic Sea, 40 km northwest of Bari. It is a town of great history, since it was one of the main southern ports on the Adriatic throughout the Middle Ages, and is also rich of works of art.
The surrounding territory produces an excellent wine, the Moscato of Trani; other important products are figs, olive oil, almonds and grain. Trani is today also a fine tourist center. The coat of arms of the town, dating back to 1098, has at top the motto "fortis, ferox, fertilis" and below a samnite shield with a blue background, showing a dragon at top crushing a bull under its claws, over a tower symbolizing the town, the shield being enclosed by two branches, al olive to the left and oaktree to the right.
The city of Turenum appears for the first time in the Tabula Peutingeriana, a 13th-century copy of an ancient Roman itinerary. The name, also spelled Tirenum, was that of the Greek hero Diomedes. The city was later occupied by the Lombards and the Byzantines. First certain news of an urban settlement in Trani, however, trace back only to the 9th century.
The most flourishing age of Trani was the 11th century, when it became an episcopal see in place of Canosa, destroyed by the Saracens. Its port, well placed for the Crusades, then developed greatly, becoming the most important on the Adriatic Sea.
Vieste is called the Pearl of the Gargano, a beautiful seaside town on the little-known Puglian promontory. The Gargano is in northern Puglia, a natural paradise of forests and beaches. Vieste is one of the primary towns, a delightful blend of Old World charm and modern resort mixed together. Sitting on a low cliff, there are wide beaches that extend on either side, making it a great destination for wandering the narrow lanes of the old town as well as parking yourself on a sandy stretch of beach and enjoying the sun.
The area is really gorgeous with white rocks, grottoes, and golden sand along the shore, and olive and almond groves, pine woods and oak stands just inland. You can walk wooded paths and enjoy the cool shade, or stroll along the palm-lined promenade, or perhaps find a hidden cove along the coastline. Dramatic erosion formations lend an intriguing backdrop to the beach; one, called Pizzomunno, is particularly picturesque and the symbol of Vieste. It juts up 25 meters high from the water.
The cathedral is one of the oldest examples of now-classic Puglian Romanesque style, built in the 11th century. Its tall Baroque bell tower is capped with a delicate onion dome and swirled with frosting-like adornment. The Norman castle defended the town and its ruins still stand guard.