Apulia Tour - Brochure

Discovering Apulia

By: Allegretta Francesca, Loseto Nicola, Martino Laura, Memoli Francesca e Perris Claudia

Index • • • •

Polignano a mare Alberobello Matera Otranto

Polignano a mare Polignano a mare is a town of Greek origins. It is located on a deep gorge overlooking the Adriatic sea on a steep rocky cliff of karst nature. Because of the karst nature of the cliff there is a number of caves on the sea that were inhabited by the prehistoric men. Of these, marine caves the Palazzese grotto, is the most enchanting one and should be seen.

The historic centre of Poligano a mare is well preserved. Its network of alleyways winding among the typical white houses and small courtyards, lead to terraces with amazing views over the Adriatic sea.

THE TRULLI OF ALBEROBELLO The history of these very particular buildings is linked to the Prammatica De Baronibus, an edict of the 15th-century Kingdom of Naples that subjected every new urban settlement to a tribute. The Counts of Conversano D'Acquaviva D'Aragona from 1481, owners of the territory on which Alberobello stands today with the summer "domus" that was called Difesa De Le Noci on the border with the territory of the duchy of Martina Franca, then imposed on the peasants sent in these lands they built their dwellings dry, without using mortar, so that they could be configured as precarious buildings, easily demolished.

Therefore, having to use only stones, the peasants found in the round form with self-supporting domed roof, composed of overlapping stone circles, the simplest and most solid configuration. The domed roofs or half cone for straw called the false dome of the trulli are embellished with decorative pinnacles that represented as many say the pinnacle was the signature of the master trullaro who did it or that restored and represented the pose of the pinnacle an exciting moment, the whose form is inspired by profane symbolic, mystical and religious elements that appear above all in the Fascist period.

Matera The Sassi represent the ancient part of the city of Matera.

The name "Sassi" in Matera refers to the two neighborhoods of the Old Town, dug entirely into the rock: these two are the "Civita" and the "Piano". Around the Civita there are the Sasso Barisano, located along the road to Bari, and the Sasso Caveoso, which heads south.

Inside the Sassi we can find a maze of alleys and caves that for a long time were the true houses of citizens of Matera. In fact, the settlement dates back to the Paleolithic times and for centuries its inhabitants have modeled the rocks to adapt them to their needs.

In addition to the caves where the families lived, the Sassi also show cisterns, warehouses and 156 "rupestrian" churches, many of which are perfectly preserved and enriched with precious frescoes dating back to 700-800 AD. In 1993 they were finally declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Otranto Cathedral Otranto Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the Italian city of Otranto, dedicated to the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary.

The cathedral was consacrated in 1088. It is 54 metres long by 25 metres of wide.

Its plan is a three-aisled nave with an apsidal east end.

FUNDATION Built on the remains of a Messapic village, a Roman house and an early Christian church or temple, the cathedral was founded in 1068 by the Norman bishop William or Guglielmo. It is a synthesis of varied architectural styles, with Byzantine, early Christian and Romanesque elements. It was consecrated on 1 August 1088 under the papacy of Pope Urbain II. 12th CENTURY The mosaic running the whole length of the nave, sanctuary and apse is 12th century in date.

It was commissioned by the first Latin archbishop of the city, Gionata, and created between 1163 and 1165 by a group of artists.

The bell tower next to the cathedral was also built in the 12th century. Its exterior decoration recalls the military architecture of the city's walls and towers. It is built of carparo and white limestone, typical of the Salento region.