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The cities of art
The
excursion that we propose to you extends from the coast to the interior,
connecting Lucera, Troia,
Castel del Monte, Trani,
Barletta, Venosa,
and Melfi.
These
are only some of the stops on a sort of treasure hunt, between Apulia
and Basilicata, for the signs and
evidence of the Puer Apuliae, Emperor Frederick II.
It
is nearly impossible in Apulia to leave out of consideration this
figure, who retains a sense of mystery; an illuminated, somewhat despotic
sovereign, a lover of science, a poet, and a philosopher. He was a
meeting point for Germanic culture, the knowledge and culture of the
East, and the civilization of the West. Frederick II contained within
himself the common characteristics of the South of Italy, the place
of the meeting, conflict and synthesis of diverse cultures.
Referring
to the solemn entry portal of the Castel del Monte, which combines
a gothic arch and a classical tympanum, Franco Cardini, professor
of Medieval History at the University of Florence, writes:
“it is a synthesis of the region of Apulia,
in which the Greek cultural tradition and that of medieval Europe
admirably meet and confront one another.”
There
are thousands of stimuli arising from places and memories. Naturally,
each one of these has it’s origin before or after Frederick.
Lucera was a rich and flourishing Roman city and to this day retains
important traces of its ancient past. Troia, set up on a hill, dominates
from above the Tavoliere. Its cathedral is one of the masterworks
of Apulian Romanesque architecture. So is the cathedral of Trani,
whose beauty is enhanced by its scenic position by the sea. Barletta
preserves in its magnificent white stone castle, the collection of
the paitings by De Nittis.
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