3. Città Bianca
Ostuni is a city in the province of Brindisi. The region around Ostuni has been
inhabited since the Stone age.
The so-called "Old Town" is Ostuni's citadel built on top of a hill and still fortified
by the ancient walls. Ostuni is regarded as an architectural jewel, and is commonly
referred to as "the White Town" ("La Città Bianca", in Italian) for its white walls
and its typically white-painted architecture.
4. St. Oronzo
St. Oronzo’s baroque coloumn
was built in 1771; it is 20,75
metres high and it is placed in
the main square in Ostuni.
5. Alberobello
Alberobello is a small town in the province of Bari and is famous for
its unique trulli constructions. The Trulli in Alberobello are part of
the UNESCO World heritage sites list since 1996.
6. Castel del Monte
The castle was built on a hill in
northern Apulia. It has an
octagonal shape.
The 16 halls, eight on each floor,
have a trapezoidal shape .
Castel del Monte is of
outstanding universal value in its
formal perfection and its
harmonious blending of cultural
elements from Northern Europe,
the Muslim world and classical
antiquity. It is a unique
masterpiece of medieval military
architecture reflecting the
humanism of its founder:
Frederick II of Hoenstaufen.
In 1966, the UNESCO
Committee for the World
Patrimony included the castle
in the World Heritage List.
7. Baroque in Lecce
Lecce is in the south of
Apulia.Because of the rich
Baroque architectural
monuments found in the
city, Lecce is commonly
nicknamed "The Florence
of the South". The city also
has a long traditional
affinity with Greek culture
going back to its
foundation; the Messapii
who founded the city are
said to have been Cretans.
The most important
baroque religiuos buildings
are: THE CHURCH OF
SANTA CROCE, the
CATHEDRAL , the CHURCH
OF ST. CATALDO AND
NICCOLO’
8. St. Oronzo’s square
It is in the heart of Lecce.
Here you can see the Roman
Amphitheatre, built in the 2nd
century and situated near
Sant'Oronzo Square, was able
to seat more than 25,000
people. It is now half-buried
because other monuments were
built above it over the
centuries. The column holding
the statue of Saint Oronzo
(Lecce's patron) was given to
Lecce by the city of Brindisi
because Saint Oronzo was
reputed to have cured the
plague in Brindisi. The column
was one of a pair that marked
the end of the Appian Way the
main road between Rome and
southern Italy.
9. Piazza del Duomo in Lecce
The cathedral is in a
wonderful square.
The cathedral is also one
of the most significant
cathedrals in Italy. It was
originally built in 1144, and
rebuilt in 1230. It was
totally restored in the
years 1659-70 by
Giuseppe Zimbalo, who
also built the 70 m-high
bell tower, which has five
storeys and an octagonal
loggia.
10. The obelisk
The obelisk in Lecce
was erected in 1822 in
honour of Ferdinand I
of the two Sicilies.
11. Grotte di Castellana
The Castellana Caves are in
Castellana Grotte, in the province
of Bari, Apulia. They are one of the
most famous show caves in Italy.
These caves are a typical Karst
phenomenon. The main creator of
their formation was the water,
which, over thousands of years,
penetrated into the fissures in the
calcareous rock and carved it
giving rise to a river and forming
subterranean voids, which first
became bigger and then began to
boast “decorations” of diverse
forms of stalactites and
stalagmites.
12. The cathedral in
Trani
Trani cathedral is perhaps the
most beautiful and famous
building in Apulian Romanesque
style. The splendid scenario of its
setting has certainly contributed
to this reputation: a marvelous
large square directly overlooking
the sea.
The façade is orientated towards
the lovely Swabian castle, while
the apses tower over the
charming little fishing port.
13. War Memorial
in Brindisi
Constructed during the thirties,
the War Memorial is the work of
the artist Edgardo Simone.
The monument is in marble and
had been placed in several
locations in other squares of the
city before finding its
permanent home in 1940 in what
is now piazza S. Teresa.
14. The shrine in Belvedere was built in the 19th
century on a rocky church. It is
three kilometers far from Carovigno.
It is in a natural peaceful and relaxing landscape at 100 m altitude. The
church and the ancient rupestrian settlement today are a destination for
many pilgrims who wish to worship the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary.
A system of natural caves on two levels is located under the building (1500):
a long staircase composed by 47 steps links the church with the caves
underneath.
One of the frescos in the shrine shows the Virgin Mary with the Infant. It
dates back to 1530.
15. Dentice di Frasso Castle
in Carovigno
It was built in the XV century by
Raymond del Balzo Orsini, Lord of
Taranto, as a defence against the
Turks and the frequent pirate raids.
The castle was reinforced with
towers and other defence works,
while a massive circular tower, 65
feet high, was built on the seaward
side, from which most of the attacks
came.
When feudal violence had calmed
down, the sea had been cleared of
pirates and Turks finally driven away
from Italian shores, the Castle was
modernized and became a noble
palace; in recent time it has been
embellished by the Counts Dentice di
Frasso.
16. Torre S. Sabina
Santa Sabina is about six kilometres from Carovigno. The name of Saint Sabina
designates an area that was used as a small port already in the Roman age. It was a
neighbourhood frequented by pirates and Saracen raids, a circumstance that made
it necessary to build a tower. The star-shaped construction is used as a private
building now. With a height of 11 metres, it clearly resembles a defence tower for
protection from the use of fire-arms.
18. Founded in 1089 to shelter the
stolen relics of St. Nicolas of
Myra, the Basilica di San
Nicola (St. Nicholas Basilica) in
Bari is a majestic edifice that
became the model for later
Apulian Romanesque churches.
Its crypt still contains the
relics of St. Nicholas.
It stands imposing in the Old
Town of Bari overlooking the
Adriatic Sea.
The sculptures in the basilica
are true works of art: the
Bishop’s Throne, the Lions’
Portal and the Ciborium with
its capitals.
The Basilica
of St. Nicholas
19. The Lion Portal
An arch on the north side houses the Porta dei
Leoni (Lion Portal), decorated with sculptures.
Lions support the columns flanking the door, two
personifications of the months can be seen on
the impost blocks, and below the arch are
chivalric scenes. The south side also has a fine
doorway.
20. The interior
Inside, the nave consists of
tall arches supported on
marble columns with carved
Romanesque capitals.
The rounded apse contains
the splendid marble bishop's
throne, which was probably
made for the council of 1098,
and the monument of Bona
Sforza, Queen of Poland and
Duchess of Bari (1593).
The episcopal throne of
Abbot Elia, builder of the
church (1098), is considered
one of the best and most
ancient romanesque scultures
in the world.
21. The ciborium
The ciborium, covering
the main altar is the
most ancient in the
region.
It is also decorated
with mosaic and has
four columns with
foliage, animals and
mythological figures.
22. THE CRYPT
Inside the crypt,(the
underground church)
stands the miraculous
column believed to have
been erected by St.
Nicholas himself.
In the crypt, the
beautiful Byzantine
capitals are embellished
with foliage. The Norman
capitals are also very
breathtaking. Beyond the
iron-gated central apse,
one can catch sight of the
sombre, massive altar-like
tomb of Saint Nicholas.
