TOUR ITINERARIES
Mystery And Charme of Rupestrian Crypts
2

MONOPOLI

This itinerary starts from Monopoli, a town on the Adriantic sea, at the foot of the Murgia area.This is an important fishing site with 47.000 inhabitants and it has a trapezoidal plan. Monopoli borders with the territories of Castellana Grotte, Fasano, Polignano a Mare and Conversano.

According to the tradition, Monopoli was already inhabited during the Paleolithic Age ( it is witnessed by the presence of some historic sites, like Grotta delle Mura).It was founded by Minosse, king of Crete, from which the name of the city comes.This city was built on an ancient apulean site (it is witnessed by the finding of some graves in the urban area) and it probably was repopulated in the Middle Age by the inhabitants of Egnazia, that had been destroyed.. The old town centre clinges over the sea and it is fastened by Aragonese walls. It has medieval origins, as you can see looking at the urban and social structure and at the ancient houses facing the dock.
In this contest you then see the Frederick Castle, built at time of the Aragonese domination. from the age of Federico II . Once visited the old town centre, you should go out of town to see the many rupestrian crypts on this territory. The most important ones are : S.Leonardo Crypt, under the convent with that name, and the hypogeum chapel of SS.Andrea and Procopio, in the Masseria Zaccaria.

FASANO

From Monopoli our itinerary goes toward Fasano, driving along the excavations of ancient the Egnazia (11 km far away), which are the ruins of a Messapic and Apulean town.You can still visit part of the ancient walls and the acropolis. Outside the walls, you should then visit the museum, in which there is the wonderful Three Grazie (Graces) mosaic (II and III cent. a.C.).

When you get to Fasano (6 km far away- 108 mt high, 38782 inhabitants), a town on a weird position at the bottom on the south-east part of the Murgia area, you can take a walk in the ancient part of the town, with a visit to the main church, consecrated to S.Giovanni; to the sixteenth century University Palace and to the wonderful Malta Knights Palace. After a quick stop to one of the many typical local restaurants you should go on with your itinerary to visit the rupestrian crypts.
The most interesting ones here are : San Lorenzo Crypt, with Greek paintings and inscriptions of the XII cent., san Procopio Crypt , with Latin frescoes and inscriptions of the XV cent. and San Virginia Crypt, with Latin paintings and inscriptions of the XIII century.

OSTUNI

Going further from the lovely town of Fasano, you can take the num. 16 highway and drive for about 22 km. You get then to the suggestive “white town” of Ostuni (218 mt height, 33.551 inhabitants), that lies over the last part of the Murgia area.

A peculiar walk along its peculiar stairs and tangled lanes, on which the typical white houses overlook, obliges you to stop and visit the beautiful Cathedral, consecrated to the Assunta, and also to visit the stately Town Hall and the Museum of Preclassical culture of the meridional Murgia area. Another important place to visit, besides the peculiar restaurants, are “Ostuni Marine”, like Villanova, where you can visit the XVI cent. castle; then Marina of Ostuni and Monticelli, where there are the remains of an ancient village from the Bronze Age.
 Also the territory around Ostuni is embellished by many beautiful masserie, picturesque specchie and rupestrian crypts, gem of the local historic and architectonic estate. San Biagio crypt is very interesting. It was built in 1148 in the same place where the omonym church stands now, and there you can see some remainings of Latin frescoes and inscriptions.

SAN VITO DEI NORMANNI

Still driving for about 15 km on the highway num. 16, we get to San Vito dei Normanni, one of the most important historic- archaeologic sites of the region.

In this town infact, around the centre, there are some caves in which ancient rupestrian populations coming from the East settled in the late Middle-Ages, to flee from the Saracens. Here, great importance is given to some crypts where once probably lived some monastic communities with greek origins, and that are mainly dug in the rock. They are not in very good conditions now but they still represent one of our most important historic- artistic regional estate. Even the feudal castle has a great historic- artistic importance. It was built by the Orsini family in the XIV century.

Our itinerary ends up in Oria, a town settled over the highest hills that in ancient times were coastal dunes. It is between Bari and Brindisi, on the northern side of the Salento area.
 

Because of its position, Oria had a great military, economic and commercial importance in the past. It was the real Messapic chief town and, before this, it was the town where the Japigian monarchy lived. This town got conquered by Fabio Massimo in 265 and, since that time, it was a Roman municipium and was under Cicerone protection. In Medieval times, like other towns of Puglia, Oria was often invaded and sacked. In 410 it was under the Gotes control and then it was run by the Greeks. Federico II had a great influence over Oria. He built the castle around which the history of this town developed and that is the main touristic attraction in town. However, even if not many, there are some rupestrian crypts of the XII cent.
The most important one is Saint Daria and Crisante.

Texts: Italiainrete - Pictures: Database and web

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