Apulia is one of Italy’s most beautiful regions thanks to its story, its incredible landscapes, the uncontaminated nature and its unmistakable flavors.
To discover Apulia among landscape, historical and natural beauties, you can start from Trani, choosing to stay in the enchanting Turenum Apartment & B&B consisting of two structures located inside ancient buildings that will put you in a magic atmosphere.
Trani
All Trani’s enchantment is manifested in its Cathedral by the sea, proclaimed by Unesco “Monument messenger of a culture of peace”
This building is an important example of the Apulian-Romanesque style dating back to 1099. The church that arises on the remains of an ancient early Christian cathedral of the IX century, inside which it has a transept, a pointed arch used under the bell tower, together with the sobriety of the decorations due to the continuous rebuilding of the building.
Cathedral of Trani
Another important religious building is the Monastery of Santa Maria di Colonna which is also in the romantic style and it has a huge openwork rosette, while on the inside it stands out for the presence of an altar in pure gold.
Continuing in the city visit, you’ll come across the jewish quarter that develops close to the Longobard walls, close to the port and to the cathedral, in the highest zone of the ancient city.
This quarter is better know as the Giudecca and it’s open in spite of the ghetto which was a closed quarter. In the center of the quarter you’ll find the synagogue, place where people meet to pray or study the Torah guided by a rabbi.
The importance of Trani’s jewish quarter is manifested through the four synagogues later transformed into churches, of which two, the church of S. Anna and the church of S. Maria di Scolanova, are still intact.
Among the most important fortified buildings of the city there’s the Svevo Castle, which takes its name from the emperor Federico II di Svevia that ordered to build it to protect the city.
Svevo Castle, Trani
It has a quadrangular plant with 4 square towers of equal size at its vertices, while on the outside it stands out for a practicable city wall, provided with frecciere and embattled with a moat in front of it filled with sea water.
At this point a visit in Trani’s diocesan museum is obligatory, situated in palazzo Lodispoto in piazza Duomo in which initially tombstones and sculptures were placed, later found after some works in the cathedrals.
With time the artistic heritage of the museum has been enriched, today including the Museo della Macchina da Scrivere where you can admire a wide collection of models that document the evolution of typewriters.
The focal point of the city is undoubtedly the port, a natural inlet protected from the East by S. Antonio pier and from the West by S. Nicola pier with the presence of shores with quays.
The building that best represents the city is the Chiesa di Ognissanti, better known as Chiesa dei Templari, as it was the place where they gathered before leaving for the Holy Land.
Dating back to the XII century, outside it presents a portal decorated with scenes of the Annunciation, while the inside, divided in 3 naves with a double porch it stands out in the central nave with african granite columns with trussed roofing.
