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.

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.

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.

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.

Baroque in LecceLecce 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’

St. Oronzo’s squareIt 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.

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.

The obelisk

The obelisk in Lecce was erected in 1822 in honour of Ferdinand I of the two Sicilies.

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.

The cathedral in

TraniTrani 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.

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.

 

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.

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.

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.

St. Nicholas’ Cathedral in Bari.

Made by:Carolina Caccetta

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

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.

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.

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.

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.