Piazza - Galatina

GALATINA

Galatina is a city in Salento in the province of Lecce. It is famous mainly for its Cathedral dedicated to Saint Caterina, containing beautiful frescoes.

Today’s habitation has definite feudal origins from the High Medieval era, but nothing much is known about this obscure period.
Galatina was not mentioned in historical documentation until 1200, where it was described as having a lively and important centre for culture, language and Greek religious rites. This moves its past history to at least the Byzantine domination of Southern Puglia, beginning with the Greek-Gothic War (535-553). But nothing prohibits one thinking that Galatina also existed under the Roman Empire, and that it probably had, like many other cities of Salento, even earlier foundations.
One thing for certain is that Galatina - which at the time was called San Pietro in Galantina in honour of the apostle who passed through here during his journey to Rome - was an integral part of the County of Soleto, whose feudatories were also nobles of Galatina.
After the advent of the Normans and Swabians, Galatina was granted to Ugo del Balzo, who disembarked in Italy after Carlo d’Angiò (1266). In 1334, the same family had defensive walls erected. The Balzo Family then became Orsini del Balzo through marriage (1386) to Maria d’Enghien Brienne.
Among the most interesting places, other than the aforementioned Cathedral of Saint Caterina in Romanesque Pugliese style, is the Church of Saints Peter and Paul (1335, rebuilt in 1633), a beautiful Baroque-Pugliese example which preserves precious paintings in its interior.
Other religious buildings are the: Church of the Battenti, Monastery of S. Chiara, Carmelitan Church and Convent, Cappuccini Church, Church of the Addolorata, Anime Church, Church-Abbey of the Olivetani and the S. Maria delle Grazie Church which is annexed to a Dominican convent.
Along the wall there are three doorways: Porta Luce, Porta Nuova and Porta Cappuccini.
Until a few decades ago, yearly on the 28th and 29th June in Galatina, the Tarantate arrived from all of Salento, that is women who had been bitten by tarantulas (in dialect tarante). During this time there was a procession of people dancing, singing on their way to the Chapel of Saint Paul so that they could drink water from the well and be healed by the saint.
In the surrounding territory, one can visit three Basilican crypts, founded by the Basilican monks who arrived in Puglia during the 9th century in escape from religious persecution in the East: Saint Anna in the Piani district; Saint Maria della Porta in the Pisanello district, Saint Maria della Grotta.

GALATINA
Art City

Puglia (Apulia) region of Italy
Processione - Galatina
PROCESSIONE

Notte della Taranta - Galatina
NOTTE DELLA TARANTA
 

City Guide
art profile

Travel in Galatina
Galatina hotels
 

Art Cities in Apulia
Bari
Andria
Barletta
Brindisi
Foggia
Lecce
Taranto
Trani
More Art Cities in Apulia
Acaya
Alberobello
Alezio
Altamura
Ascoli Satriano
Bisceglie
Bitonto
Bovino
Calimera
Canosa
Casarano
Castel del Monte
Castellaneta
Ceglie Messapica
Cerignola
Cisternino
Conversano
Copertino
Cutrofiano
Francavilla Fontana

Galatina
Gallipoli
Gioia del Colle
Giovinazzo
Gravina
Grottaglie
Isole Tremiti
Locorotondo
Lucera
Maglie
Manduria
Manfredonia
Martano
Martina Franca
Massafra
Melendugno
Melpignano
Mesagne
Modugno
Molfetta
Monopoli
Monte Sant'Angelo
Nardò
Ostuni
Otranto
Parabita
Peschici
Poggiardo
Polignano a Mare
Putignano
Ruvo di Puglia
San Ferdinando di Puglia
San Vito dei Normanni
San Severo
Specchia
Terlizzi
Tricase
Troia
Ugento
Vico del Gargano
Vieste
Archaeological Sites
Egnazia
Ordona (Herdonia)
Oria
Siponto

In Italy Today
Italy Guides:
> Art Cities
> Full List
> Italy Regions
Exhibitions Events
Hotels B&Bs
 


ART TRAVEL LINK - SELECTED WEB SITES

  • Your TravelSite - http://www.yoursite.com
    Description of the site.
  • ... ask to put your link here!
 


Vuoi inserire un LINK?
Hai un HOTEL o un'altra attività legata al TURISMO IN ITALIA?

Promuovilo nella pagina della tua città dentro IN ITALY TODAY!
OFFERTE PROMOZIONALI PER I PRIMI LINK

Art Travel directory

SUGGEST AN ART/TRAVEL-SITE

 

In Italy Today loves art

© IN ITALY HOTELS NETWORK