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Regions in Italy : Region Puglia : Province Bari : Comune Altamura

Altamura

Province of Bari, Region Puglia (Apulia), Italy

The Locality: Situated along the Bari-Matera highway, it was the Capital of the ancient Peucetii, then it was destroyed by the Saracens in the 10 Th century. Refounded by Frederick II in mid-13th century also with populations from nearby villages of Greek an Jewish stock.

Altitude: 467 a.s.l -- Population: ca. 63,000 inhabitants -- Zip/postal code: 70022 -- Phone Area Code: 080
altamura coatofarms

HISTORY: The area of Altamura was already populated in the Bronze Age as shown by archeological findings in La Croce settlement. The old name was Altilia, from Alter Ilium, meaning "other Troy", since according to the legend it was founded by a friend of Aeneas, Antellus. The city grew in importance under Emperor Frederick II. Altamura was ruled by a number of feudal families, such as the Orsini del Balzo and the Farnese. In 1748 Charles VII established a University. The emblem of Altamura is in the form of a horseshoe, with four quarters in red and white, with the motto "Federicus me reparavit" (=Frederick refounded me).

WHAT TO SEE
The Cathedral whose construction was started by order of Frederick II in 1232, with the portal sided by two lions, representing the spiritual and the temporal powers, and with a rich rosewindows divided into 15 sections
San Nicolo' dei Greci, the parish of a previous Byzantine community
The almost 200 "claustri" kind of alleys ending into courtyards, among then the "claustro Tricarico" of the 15th century, the "claustro Giudecca " of the 14th century.
Megalithic walls of the ancient Italic center of the 5th century BC.
The "pulo di Altamura" 4 miles from the town, the largest Karst abyss in Apulia, over 90 Mt deep, with traces of Neolithic Settlements

Lodging in Altamura:

4-star Hotels
3-star Hotels
Agritourisms