TOUR ITINERARIES
Mystery And Charme of Rupestrian Crypts
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MOTTOLA

Our itinerary to visit the rupestrian crypts starts from Mottola, a town on the hill in the province of Taranto. It is in a peculiar strategic position and so it was an important militar site for Taranto during the struggle against the Messapians and for Rome against Annibale.

In Medieval times it was ruled by the Normans and the Angevins, while, in modern times, from the XVII to the XIX cent., it was a feud of the Caracciolo dukedom. Among the many characteristic places here, you should admire the circular stepped streets in the old town centre, that lead you to the highest part of the town. The territory around has many rupestrian crypts, from the XIII and XIV cent. The most important ones are Santa Margherita crypt, found in “San Giorgio” ravine, with two layers of frescoes, a Byzantine one of the XIII cent., and a Latin one of the XIV cent. There is also Sant’Angelo crypt, in the Masseria “Casalrutta”, with frescoes and Latin inscriptions of the XIV cent.; or San Simone and Santa Marina crypts and San Gregorio one (also called San Nicola), with Greek and Latin inscriptions and interesting frescoes.

MASSAFRA

We leave Mottola to go to the near town of Massafra, known for its peculiar gullies. The landscape around Massafra is the perfect place for a touristic itinerary because there is both a beautiful coast, from Lido Azzurro to Chiatona, on the border with Palagiano, and a picturesque plain, contiguous to the whole Ionic west area that expands itself over Metaponto territory.

There also are beautiful hills that embellish the landscape. They are bodered by the towns of Crispiano, Mottola and Martina Franca, and there are many Karst hollows. Our itinerary takes you to visit the suggestive and charming crypts around the territory. They are prooves of human settlements from the IX to the XIV cent., and you can find them in caves or gullies but also in the country, in the wonderful masserie . Massafra, however, is also known for its castle, a strong and stately building overlooking S.Marco gully.

TARANTO

About 18 km from Massafra there is Taranto, a peculiar beautiful chief city of the province of Puglia, that overlooks the Ionic sea. Taranto lays over the inner point of a gulf that has its name. On one hand it lays over a little island (the old town centre) and on the other one over the land.

On its southern side there is the Mar Grande and on the northern one the Mar Piccolo, that communicate through two channels: “Porta Napoli Bridge” and the famous “Ponte Girevole” (Turning bridge) (on the south). The word Taranto has an illiric root, “tara” or “taras”, which means water or sea. Taras was also the name that Messapic people gave to a little river.The foundation of the city dates back to the first half of the VIII cent. b.C. and there are different theories about its origin.It was founded by some people coming from Sparta, even though the place was already inhabited before. Someone asserts that the Japigian population lived there, while someone else asserts it was the Messapic one.
In the territory around Taranto there are some interesting rupestrian crypts.

The most important ones are: the Redeemer Crypt, where it is said that S.Peter rested after having been to Manduria. Actually, He was in San Pietro in Bevagna, whose name comes from this legendary event. The other crypts are: Sant’Onofrio crypt, in the Todisco county, with some frescoes from the XIII and XIV centuries; Petrose Crypt, in Masseria Santa Chiara, where there also are some frescoes from the XII cent.

The most peculiar area of Taranto is definitely the old towm centre. Around it you can see some stately buildings of great historic and architectural importance: Galeota Palace, Amati Palace and Carducci Artenisio Palace.The most characteristic monument in town, however, is the “Turning Bridge”, built at the end of the XIX century and great historic importance is also given to the Aragonese Castle. This is a powerful construction built between 1481 and 1492, over a previous Byzantine fortification erected to defend the city by enemies coming from the sea (the Saracens). Once visited the castle, you should see the Doric Temple and Laclos Fort. There are many churches in town that represent another big touristic attraction, like S.Cataldo Cathedral. One of the most important places to visit are the museums, expecially the National Archaeologic one. Taranto was in fact one of the most important cities of the Magna Grecia.

Its gullies, that spread to the Murge of Martina, have different sizes and aspects. The most interesting from an historic-archaeologic study are : Lonoce, Coluccio, Caprarica, Buccito, Vicentino and of the Grotte; but the most charming and suggestive are definitely: Riggio, Fantiano, Fullonese and Lama dei Pensieri.Even in Grottaglie there are some interesting rupestrian crypts. The most important ones are the Calvary Crypt and the di Riggio one. Before visiting the peculiar pottery area, you should visit the stately Episcopio Castle, that during Feudal times, was the emblem of the power of the church (at that time there were many struggles between the bishops and the owners of the land ). From an historic- architectonic point of view even the churches in town are very interesting. Among them, the most beautiful and stately ones are: the main church, between the ancient oratory and Prince Cicinelli Palace; and San Francesco da Geronimo Jesuit convent.

The last site to visit of this itinerary is Ceglie Messapica, one of the most ancient towns of Puglia. If you visit its old town centre, you can see some prooves of Messapic culture, like the Paretone, a thick stone wall that surrounds the area, or the stair with one hundred steps that took you to the acropolis.

Another area of great historic importance is the one built during the Middle Age, that you can reach through three different Doors: Giuso, Monterrone and dell’Arco. Once you get in, you are like in a labirinth of streets and oriental houses. Here there is also the castle, that is made up by a number of XV century towers, linked together by some curtains. There is a Norman squared tower and a very high tower with merlons from the XV cent. This castle was built in the same place where in Roman times there were the acropolis and some religious sites. Once visited the castle, we can go toward the picturesque rural area that is around the town to visit the wonderful masserie, the mysterious caves, the peculiar specchie and the rupestrian crypts, like San Michele and Madonna delle Grotte.

Texts: Italiainrete - Pictures: Database and web

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