TARANTO
Taranto, known as“ the city of two seas” sits in a strategic position between the Mar Grande( Great Sea) and the Mar Piccolo( Small Sea). This location has put it at the heart of important historical events. Taranto is the region Apulia, in southern Italy on the lonian Sea with a coast line of about 140 Km. The two seas are divided by two peninsulas, linked to the isle of the old town by the ancient Stone bridge and the modern Swing bridge. The province of Taranto includes 29 municipalites with a popolation of 580000 inhabitants Crossroad of different cultures. Taranto owes a lot to the Sea not only for its natural landscape but also fot its glorious history which has left its signs on this land. The Swing bridge is the symbol of Taranto. It connects the Old town to the New City and crosses the canal that connects the Mar Grande with the Mar Piccolo. The castle of Taranto rises on the edge of a natural depression of the rock bank on which the old city was built. This castle was the typical medieval fortress with many tall, narrow, square towers, suitable for the vertical defense. Known as“ MarTa”, the National Archaeological Museum of Taranto, boasts one of Italy’ s most important archaeological collections. Here you can admire the renowned“ Ori di Taranto”( Taranto’ s golden treasure), a series of refined gold pieces produced locally between the 4th and 2nd centuries BC, as well as a collection of archaeological finds from across the lonian province.
APULIAN CRAFTMANSHIP GROTTAGLIE
The art of the province of Taranto is tighly related to the land and the sea; the local hand made pottery is decorated with images of plants, fruits, animals and the sea products which are so common for our life.
THE“ PUMO”
It is the bud of a flower that wants to bloom, something that looks like an Easter egg and it symbolizes the birth and the luck.