Taranto (“the city of two seas”) is located on the gulf of the same name, between the open Mar Grande and a large two-basin lagoon, the Mar Piccolo, connected by two channels.
One is natural, spanned by the Stone Bridge (Ponte di Porta Napoli), and the other is artificial, excavated in 1481 by King Ferdinand I of Naples, spanned by the Swing Bridge (Ponte Girevole), originally built in 1887 and rebuilt in 1958. The bridge connects the walls of the Aragonese Castle to the modern seafront, Corso Due Mari, in the New City.
In antiquity, Taranto was one of the wealthiest and most important centers of Magna Graecia, playing a central role in historic battles.
Thanks to the presence of freshwater springs under the sea, mussel and oyster farming in the Mar Piccolo have gained prestige, with recognition even abroad. Taranto is also renowned for its DOC winemaking, developed mainly throughout its province.
The Tourist Itinerary
The tour begins in the Old Town, which has preserved its ancient urban structure, and with the Cathedral of San Cataldo (11th–12th century), dedicated to the city’s patron saint. Featuring three naves and a two-aisled crypt, its façade was remodeled in Baroque style, as was the lavish Chapel of San Cataldo, decorated with marble inlays and large frescoes by De Matteis.
The itinerary continues with the Gothic Church of San Domenico, later renovated during the Baroque period, and the Aragonese Castle, which houses a late Renaissance chapel.
