Otranto, Puglia, Italy

hidden text
rooms
adults
children
1
Accept
Search
By clicking CONTINUE, I agree to the Terms of Use
Discounts

Otranto, Puglia Italy

Despite the significant development of buildings, Otranto maintains a nearly untouched historical centre, which gleams in all its glory, safeguarded by the fortifications that overlook the southern shore of the natural harbour. The natural entrance to the historical centre is the Porta Alfonsina, named in honour of Alfonso, Duke of Calabria, who freed the city from Turkish rule. A network of lanes guide us to the Otranto Cathedral, a gem of Romanesque-Pugliese architecture, constructed in 1080-88 and also known as Catedrale dell'Annunziata. The gabled façade is dominated by a 15th-century Gothic-Arab style rosette and a Baroque portal from 1764. Its austere interior, with three naves, is adorned with a 17th-century gilded wood ceiling and 14 granite columns. In the Chapel of the Martyrs, to the right of the main altar, the bones of the victims of the Turkish massacre are preserved. The masterpiece, however, is depicted on the floor in a stunning mosaic in vibrant colours by the priest Pantaleone (1163-1166), illustrating scenes from the Bible and medieval epic cycles. Beneath the apse is the expansive crypt, supported by a forest of columns with capitals from different periods and Byzantine frescoes. Near the cathedral, we find the Diocesan Museum, which exhibits a collection of fabrics and liturgical objects, statues and paintings belonging to the church, such as the fifteenth-century baptismal font. We can also observe interesting fragments of a late-Roman mosaic found under the muscled pavement. The main street of the village is Corso Garibaldi, lively and bustling, which ascends towards the town square, or Piazza del Popolo, with the Torre dell'Orologio (Clock Tower) dating from 1779. From here you reach San Pietro, a Byzantine church that dates back to the 10th-11th century, and was for many years the seat of Greek worship. The exterior appears austere; in contrast, the interior is a Greek cross plan, inserted inside a square, and highly decorated. Marked by three small ships supported by eight columns, the church has its walls and vaults covered with frescoes depicting biblical scenes. The barrel vault of the northwest nave is adorned by the "Last Supper" and the "Washing of the Feet".
Recommended airport
Casale (BDS)
Points of interest
Nearby destinations