Foto: Dino Longo
Otranto
Called the “Gateway to the East”, Otranto is one of the most beautiful cities in the Apulia region. For millennia, its history has been linked to water. The history of the sea, of the ancient navigators of the Adriatic, but also that of the Idro river, flowing not far away from there and from which the city took its ancient name. This ancient port belonged first to the Messapians and then to the Greek colonists. With the Romans it took the name of Hydruntum and was elevated to Municipium, thus becoming one of the most important cities of the Apulia region.
Local craftsmanship, the processing of purple and fabrics above all, the intense mercantile exchanges of its port soon made Otranto a real bridge between East and West. Starting from the IX century there has also been a lively and thriving Jewish community in the city, known not only for its trade and wealth, but also for the presence of refined and illustrious poets and men of culture. Otranto reaches its maximum splendour thanks to the Byzantines and the nearby Constantinople, to which it remains linked following the fall of the Roman Empire, becoming the port of reference first for the trade with the East and then for the Crusades in the Holy Land.
5769
INHABITANTS
ITALY
COUNTRY
77,2
km²
Foto: Giuseppe La Rosa
Otranto
Over the centuries Otranto was conquered by the Lombard, the Byzantine, the Angevin, the Aragonese and the Turkic populations, and then ended up under the reign of Venice and also in French hands. A long series of civilizations and dominations took turns controlling the city, which inevitably still retains the signs of these passages. Today this can still be seen in the artistic treasures, in the culture, in the architectural works.
The Normans occupied it in 1068 and twenty years later they erected the magnificent cathedral that is still the cathedral of Otranto. Marvel at the cathedral, with its incredible floor mosaic dating back to the XII century, a true masterpiece depicting the Tree of Life, and considered by many experts an encyclopaedia of Christianity, and at the XI-century crypt with forty-two monolithic marble columns.
Its long history is admirably told inside the Aragonese Castle, a former defensive stronghold, which is now a beacon of culture and knowledge hosting international exhibitions and events. Inside the wonderful archaeological museum there is a permanent exhibition entitled “The places of prehistory. Porto Badisco and the Grotta dei Cervi”, which projects the visitor into the sensational discovery of the Badisco cave, which took place in February 1970. Thanks to virtual reality and 3D films, it is also possible to visit the Deer Cave, a Paleolithic site. About 250 artefacts are exhibited along the route.
The territory of Otranto not only boasts a unique historical and architectural heritage, but also natural wonders and beaches considered among the most beautiful in all the region. In the Bay of Orte, for example, you can enjoy its splendid waters away from the chaos of the busiest beaches, immersed in a wild and still unspoiled nature; Porto Badisco, not far away from it, is supposed to be the place of the epic landing of Aeneas in Salento and there you can find the important Grotta dei Cervi, an extraordinary proof of ancient civilizations. The access point to the cave is the fascinating and evocative lighthouse of Punta Palascia, the easternmost place in Italy and place of rare naturalistic beauty: from here you can observe a wonderful sunrise that “comes” from the sea. The Lighthouse is also a splendid architectural structure, recently renovated and protected by the European Commission, which represents the symbol of Capo D’Otranto; not far from the lighthouse a Multimedia Museum of the Sea has been created allowing visitors to discover the fauna and flora of the place.
The archaeological area of Roca Vecchia (about 20 km) opens towards the north with the cave of Poetry, the beach of Torre dell’Orso, the stacks of Sant’Andrea, the beach of Punticeddha, Conca Spechiulla, the beaches of San Giorgio and Frassanito with the Fiumicelli tower. Beyond it there is the protected oasis of the Alimini lakes, which returned to a new life and is now very rich in flora and wildlife. It is also worth visiting the suggestive Baia dei Turchi and the small bay of Torre Santo Stefano up to Grotta Monaca.
Foto: Giuseppe La Rosa
Foto: Giuseppe La Rosa
Foto: Giuseppe La Rosa
Foto: Dino Longo
Website: www.comune.otranto.le.it
