- FEBRUARY 2018 -
Puglia
Places
Martina Franca Little capital of the beautiful
by Lino Patruno The lanes in the old town are a fancywork of little balconies, wrought iron railings, gateways and arches.In the 14th century Phillippe d’Anjou made it “franca”, that is, freed it from all feudal bonds. Perhaps that is what gave rise to the great pride of its inhabitants January 2016
Barletta Crossroads of history and culture
by Michele Cristallo The archeological site of Canne della Battaglia, where in 216 B.C. Rome was defeated by Hannibal’s Carthaginians, the Swabian Castle, where Frederick II summoned the Diet in 1228, and the famous Challenge in 1503. Barletta and its area have been at the center of history through the millennia.Not to be missed is a visit to Palazzo della Marra, which hosts the De Nittis collection. The great painter from Barletta died in Paris in 1848, at the peak of his fame October 2015
The Great Beauty of the Leuca lighthouse
by Enrica Simonetti Standing 102 meters above sea level, it seems to reach out with open arms to other distant seas.Other charming lighthouses in the South of Puglia are found in Taranto, Gallipoli and at Punta Palascia July 2015
Puglia, triumph of light and color
UNESCO has proclaimed 2015 “International Year of Light” and one of the official themes is “Light in nature”.The magnificent images in Nicola Amato’s report – like real paintings – pay homage not only to Puglia but also to the Year of Light, to color and to beauty May 2015
Conversano Amidst history… and cherries
by Domenico Roscino An Old Town of great interest, with the stunning Castle, the Cathedral and many fascinating small streets.The surrounding countryside produces excellent olives, grapes and almonds, but above all the delicious “ferrovia” cherries January 2015
White Puglia
The photo reportage by Nicola Amato from the alleyways of the old town centers, little churches, villas and masserie is a homage to the dazzling white of Puglia, the whiteness of the “whitewashed houses” celebrated in the famous lines of Bodini.A whiteness that inscribes clean architecture in the skies of rich azure, that illuminates even the narrowest of streets and the most modest dwellings, that is an essential element of the sumptuous simplicity of many buildings, seducing you with its incomparable beauty December 2014
The sea
Puglia has about 800 kilometers of coastline. The pictures taken by Studio Fotografico Fotogramma of Bari offer a magnificent visual tour.Beaches, cliffs, lighthouses, ancient watchtowers, harbors and small towns. A story of beauty with the sea as protagonist July 2014
Cavallino Center of culture and events
by Francesca Pastore Thanks to the promotional activity carried out by the City Hall, every season Sigismondo Castromediano’s home town offers a remarkable calendar of cultural events including prose, opera, cabaret and literature.“L’Estate Cavallinese” opens on 15th June with “Giovani stilisti in passerella” from the Centro Studi Moda “Cosimo Cordella” June 2014
Turi Remembering the village and St. Oronzo’s grotto…
by Vito Spada The emotions of a childhood spent in Turi remembered by the economist Vito Spada.Traditions and legends linked to St. Oronzo, the church of St. Dominic, the college of the Scolopi fathers, Palazzo Marchesale.
…And the limited but comforting perspective of a small village May 2014
Supersano At the foot of the Sierra, amidst olive trees and byzantine icons
by Olimpia Ruffo In inland southern Salento, Supersano offers incredible cultural and natural trails ranging from prehistory to the 19th century.In this area stands the Masseria Le Stanzie, one of the oldest in Puglia, the striking witness of a disappearing peasant culture April 2014
Carlantino, a little gem
by Giuseppe Massari The small town stands on Puglia’s northern border, in the DauniaAppennine foothills, overlooking the Occhito reservoir.Full of historical and archeological evidence, it still preserves old traditions connected to the rite of transhumance February 2014
Gallipoli The beauty and the sea
by Vito Spada The sea is the essence of Gallipoli, the font of its riches, the pride of its history.In the old town center there are some ancient olive mills that used to produce oil for burning in lamps: it was loaded onto ships and reached Northern Europe to light up the cities January 2014
Puglia in winter
In the magnificent report of the ‘Archivio Fotografico Fotogramma’, the scenes of a romantic, snow-covered Puglia are an irresistible invitation to visit, even in the cold months.Under a magic mantle of snow, the trulli and masserie make a fairytale scene, Castel del Monte becomes a dream vision, the landscapes of the Murgia take on the look of a moonscape and even the bare branches of a tree tell a story of beauty… December 2013
Taranto The appeal of history
by Giuseppe Mazzarino The splendid Greek pòlis was one of the capitals of the ancient world.Despite the polluting factories and other problems, it’s a concentration of treasures: from the magnificent Archeological museum to the Aragonese castle, from the ancient churches to Gio Ponti’s modern Cathedral September 2013
Peschici, “marvelous terrace”
by Lino Patruno It is one of the pearls of the Gargano. Its beauty makes your head spin, amidst low-rise limestone houses, domes like an Arabic landscape and an enchanting sea.The perfect place to seek out a slow, lost time... July 2013
Cavallino The thousand faces of history
by Lino Patruno At only five kilometers from Lecce lies the town which was home to Sigismondo Castromediano, renowned archaeologist, patriot and martyr of the Risorgimento.Not only interesting 17th architecture but also an extensive museum spread over 69 hectares, with vestiges of the 5th century B.C. April 2013
Lecce, the Baroque of the Soul
by Lino Patruno The historic part of the town is an enchanted salon and the Leccesi care much for form and beauty. Between good taste for living, elegance and fiction March 2013
Vieste Where breathtaking nature has you dreaming all summer long
by Lino Patruno A beach of more than three kilometres long hosts the imposing “Pizzomunno” monolith.History, a charming old town center and legends seduce its visitors January 2013
Dante’s Purgatory in an enchanting Matera
by Dario C. Nicoli The city that is to be the 2019 European Capital of Culture has been chosen by the Neapolitan director Lamberto Lambertini as the setting for seven of his thirty-three short films dedicated to single cantos of Dante’s Purgatory.The result is The infinite mountain, an original journey discovering Dante and Italy, which is winning audiences in Italy and abroad December 2014
Castel del Monte The myriad enigmas of Frederick II’s masterpiece
by Lino Patruno It has been a UNESCO heritage site since 1996.More than five hundred studies worldwide have not been able to give definite answers about what this fascinating castle really is.
According to the latest theory, two researchers from Bari say it was a unique example of a Mediaeval Spa November 2012