Description of the attraction
Barletta is a city located in the north of the Italian region of Apulia, with a population of about one hundred thousand people. It is famous primarily for the Colossus of Barletta - a huge bronze statue of the Roman emperor, presumably Theodosius II. And here in 1503 the so-called Disfida di Barletta took place - a battle in which 13 Italian knights led by Ettore Fieramosca defeated the French knights. In addition, the city of Canne della Bataglia, which flourished in the era of Ancient Rome and was destroyed by the Normans in the Middle Ages, was once located on the site of modern Barletta. And nearby is the site of the famous battle between the Romans and the Carthaginians led by Hannibal.
Barletta is located on the Adriatic coast of Apulia, where the rocky shores of the Gulf of Manfredonia are covered with silt of the Ofanto River. The latter has always had a significant impact on the development of agriculture in the region. The city itself boasts long sandy beaches to the east and west of its port.
Barletta existed long before the arrival of the Romans in these places, which is confirmed by the settlement discovered here from the 4th century BC. In ancient times, it was known as Bardulos or Barulum. The first who settled here were the Phoenicians - they founded a trading settlement, from where goods were transported north, to the country of the Etruscans. This area was famous for its wines, for which it received the appropriate name - the Land of Wines.
During the Middle Ages, Barletta was a stronghold of the Normans and Lombards and became an important staging post for the Crusaders, Teutonic Knights and Templars. After the nearby city of Cannet was destroyed by the Normans, its surviving inhabitants in large numbers moved to Barletta, which caused the rapid development of the city. In the 16th century, it served as a kind of fortress for the Spanish rulers of southern Italy, but by the middle of the 19th century, when Italy was unified, it was one of the country's many poor cities.
Today Barletta is a small town that is not particularly spoiled by tourists. Meanwhile, there are a number of interesting historical sights here. For example, an old castle built in the 10th century by the Normans. During the period of the Crusades, it was used as a resting place for soldiers going to the Holy Land. In the middle of the 13th century, the castle was expanded and fortified by order of Emperor Frederick II, and three centuries later four massive bastions were added to it.
Next to the aforementioned Colossus of Barletta is the 12th century Romanesque Basilica of San Sepolcro with distinct oriental features. Moreover, its facade is made in the Baroque style. On the site of the former temple of Neptune, today stands the Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore - a wonderful example of a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic styles. Inside, on the lower level, are the tombs of the 3rd century BC, over which an early Christian basilica was built in the 6th century, and another in the 9th century. The current building of the cathedral was erected in the 12th century and slightly modified in the 14th century. Also noteworthy is the 11th century church of San Giacomo, also built on the site of the ancient Roman temple of Isis. Finally, in Barletta, you can see the building of the former prison for slaves and the Palazzo Marra - an example of baroque architecture, next to which there is an art gallery today.
