Giovinazzo

The most significant and evocative part of Giovinazzo is certainly that on the small promontory near the harbour, which in recent years has been the subject of a recovery programme. Surrounded by walls in the 15th century, the city contains architectural remains that document the history of the settlement from Roman to medieval and baroque times. The main square is Vittorio Emanuele, which is distinguished by the size and wealth of the palazzos that surround it. It is by standing in the centre of the square, at the Fountain of the Tritons, that its distinctive trapezoid shape is best perceived. In the historic centre, quiet by day and festively animated in the evening, walking along the ramparts of Via Cattedrale, you reach the 12th-century Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Piazza Duomo. There is also the imposing Palazzo Ducale, a 17th-century courtyard building that exhibits its architectural wealth, especially on the façade overlooking the sea near the remains of the Roman walls. It is nice to wander through the streets of the centre where one can admire buildings of singular workmanship and some places of worship, such as the chiesa dello Spirito Santo ("Church of the Holy Spirit") or the sixteenth-century Madonna di Costantinopoli ("Church of Our Lady of Constantinople").