The excellence of the city of Puglia
In Italy there are cities that are established tourist destinations worldwide as Altamura. This Apulian town is also known for the excellence of its lands. In fact, the bread of Altamura is a product known and appreciated all over the world. These places have a thousand-year history that can be rediscovered today in the historic center of the city and in the National Park of Alta Murgia.
Altamura, what it is and where it is located
The town of Altamura is located in Puglia in the area of the Alta Murgia National Park on the border with Basilicata. Located in the province of Bari this wonderful city is famous all over the world for its thousand-year history and its rich culture.
The old town is perfectly preserved with its narrow and winding streets and its ancient buildings. Its geographical position allows these territories to produce incredible fruits and extraordinary products with which are made famous gastronomic products all over the world. Today the city has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Puglia.
The history of Altamura
The presence of man in the territories where Altamura is located dates back to the Neolithic period when some populations of Neanderthal men settled in these places. The present Altamura was founded by Federico according to which in 1232 decided to repopulate these lands.
Later in the so-called period of the Late Middle Ages, the city was in the hands of several noble families. With the French Revolution, the city welcomed the new ideals that led to a progressive decay of the local nobility. In 1848 there were riots in favor of the unity of Italy, which were repressed in blood.
What to see in Altamura?
Altamura is a city that offers many things to see and discover. One of the most emblematic buildings is undoubtedly the church of Santa Maria Assunta. This was built at the behest of Frederick II. This is the oldest monument in the city and it is built in Gothic style. One of its characteristics consists in the fact that it was built on an ancient pagan temple dating back to the Saracens, whose remains can be seen today. Another interesting aspect is the presence of two symmetrical bell towers that date back to different times.
The interior of the church has three naves with a wooden ceiling decorated with gold stucco. At the bottom of the aisles is the marble altar where the Virgin Mary is depicted. Another interesting building in Altamura is the Baldassarre Palace. This is a perfect example of the civil construction of these places.
Its construction dates back to the period between the 16th and 17th centuries. Today the palace houses a museum where you can see among other things the fossil skeleton of the man of Altamura. This is one of the most important Neolithic period finds ever as it is the oldest Neanderthal that has been analyzed.
Finally, the nerve center of Altamura is undoubtedly Piazza Duomo. This wonderful square was created by Frederick II who decided to demolish some houses to create this space.
Altamura, the Alta Murgia National Park
Altamura is located within the Alta Murgia National Park, which was established in 2004. These places are characterized by two main habitats in which there are suggestive sequences of rocky ridges, hills and karstic cavities. There are also extensive natural and cultivated pastures, as well as oak and conifer forests.
Here nature is mixed with the thousand-year history of man who in these places has built stone farms equipped with stables and recent for animals. Finally, in these places there is no lack of historical evidence of the past as the various archaeological sites present here and the traces of the Norman Swabian domination.
The typical products of Altamura
Altamura is famous all over the world for the exceptional quality of its gastronomic products. One of these is the famous bread of Altamura which has the particularity to be made by mixing together the ground wheat flour, water and yeast.
The preparation of this incredible bread follows the rules of the ancient traditional recipe handed down through the generations. Its particular shape is due to the fact that they wanted to bake as many forms as possible and then for space reasons the loaves were crushed upwards. The oldest bakery in Altamura dates back to 1391 and is still active today.
Another product of the earth known and appreciated all over the world is the lentil PGI of Altamura. This is mainly cultivated in the National Park. has unique characteristics compared to other lentils as it has a high content of iron and protein in addition to an excellent consistency. Its land of origin allows this lentil to have that unique knowledge and scents.
Copertina : Pixabay
