Staying in the beautiful Turenum Apartment & B&B, situated in Trani, you will have the opportunity to participate in popular festivals and traditions of Trani: a bridge between sacred and profane.
Croce di Colonna
Every year on the 3rd of May the famous Crocifisso di Colonna festival, of which’s origins aren’t only ancient but they’re tied to an incredible legend: it is said that on the 3rd May of the year 1480 some pirates stole from the Santa Maria di Colonna Church a wooden crucifix to which they mutilated the nose that started bleeding and the pirates, scared, threw it into the sea.
From that day every year this festival is held and it has a procession of boats that reach the port with the Crucifix onboard where the priest imposes a solemn blessing to the waters at the sound of bells and with fireworks.
Festival dell’arte pirotecnica, Trani, photo by pugliapress
Festival dell’arte pirotecnica
Pyrotechnic art in Trani is well known, so much that every year thousands of tourists gather to admire the beautiful fireworks that are made by the stokers. It’s such an ancient art that is handed down from father to son and that every year it shows in the festival dell’arte pirotecnica its maximum expression.
A show that will amaze anyone thanks to the beautiful colored reflections that reflect in the port’s water and on the stone walls of which the historic center and the Cathedral of Trani.
Sagra del mare
Another beautiful thing in Trani is the Sagra del mare a festival that is held in honor of the Madonna del Carmelo, of which’s image accompanied by a group of divers is placed on a boat at the piers of the Lega Navale to reach the outer harbor where, in suffrage of the fallen of the sea, a laurel wreath is blessed which then is then delivered to the waves of the sea. Once it returns on land the solemn procession begins on all the roads of the city.
Medieval Week
Visiting Trani in August you can participate to the medieval week entirely dedicated to the commemoration of past events and of the remembrance of the Order of the Templars.
Marriage between Elena d’Epiro and Manfredi, photo by gocasteldelmonte
Marriage of Manfredi and Elena d’Epiro
The last days of the medieval week see the historical reenactment at the Castello Svevo of Trani of the Marriage between Elena d’Epiro and Manfredi.
The story tells of the love between the last queen of the Swabian dynasty, Elena and Federico II’s favorite son, Manfredi.
The festivities in honor of the wedding were held right inside the Swabian castle between splendor and decoration. Hovewer, their love story wasn’t one of the brightest since Manfried died during the battle of Benevento, and the queen, thanks to the help of a couple from Trani, Munaldo and Amundilla, managed to hide inside the Castello, waiting to leave to return to her homeland.
Here, hovewer, her father was ousted by Carlo d’Angiò and the constant meteorological adversities prevented her from leaving, remaining prisoner in the castle where she died at the age of 29.
Night of the Templars
Another important event is the Night of the Templars, a theatrical celebration of the presence of the Templars in the city in defense of the pilgrim. The performance is divided between the streets of the city, reproducing the arrival, defense and the ambush to the king.
