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Historic city of Magna Graecia, Taranto was founded by Spartan colonists led by Falanto in 706 BC. It is the only Spartan colony in the world outside of Greece. Later it became an important centre of Magna Graecia, the richest and most important in the Mediterranean.
It is called “The City of Two Seas”, bathed by the Mar Grande and Piccolo, with its strategic position that has made it the protagonist of important historical events.
The most precious ancient testimonies are kept in the National Archaeological Museum, the MArTA, where it is possible to admire the famous “Golds of Taranto”. Here refined productions of the local goldsmiths’ art ranging from the 4th to 2nd century BC, as well as the immense collection of archaeological finds from all over the Ionian province.
The history of Taranto runs along the two bridges that connect the old city to the modern one. In addition to the stone bridge built after the 1883 flood, the swing bridge which opened in 1887 still has the charm of great mechanical engineering works.
Walking through the old town, you realise how easy it is to pass from one breathtaking glimpse to another. The sea overhanging the railing of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, the architectural blaze of churches and period buildings and the ancient charm of the columns of the Temple of Poseidon.
Amongst the most beautiful churches in the entire region, the Cathedral Basilica dedicated to San Cataldo is the pride of old Taranto in Piazza Duomo. Once being of medieval origin, but modified in the Baroque era, it now houses the remains of the patron saint in a side chapel. One of the emblems of the city is the Aragonese Castle, or Castel Sant’Angelo. A majestic and imposing structure, with a rectangular plan, which dates back to around 900 AD. The purpose, in the beginning was defensive, to protect themselves from the assaults of the Syracusan and Venetian peoples.
Over time, the building has undergone expansions and renovations.
A beautiful town on the Apulian coast which conquers all its visitors thanks to its splendid historical heritage.
