When art is outdoor, the example of Troia (Foggia)

Today I am going to visit the Cathedral of Troia, an unbeatable example of Romanico-Pugliese.

I take advantage of the fact that I am located on temporary basis in Manfredonia.

In order to reach Troia, I head to Foggia.

Troia was called Troja till the beginning of the last century. It has the same name of the Homeric town Troy.

However, during the Roman age, its name was Aecae. Then, In 1019, the Byzantine Catapano Basilio 

Bojoannes, changed it to Troia, after having rebuilt the town destroyed by the war between Longobards and Byzantines.

After having reached Foggia, I follow the indications for Troia, which is actually just 13 miles beyond Foggia.

While I drive on, I realize that the landscape is changing. Troia is located on the Monti Dauni.

I see around hills, covered by vineyards.

Uva di Troia is a red wine grape from which is made the fruity wine Nero di Troia. This grape is cultivated mainly in the provinces of Foggia and BAT.

As I am few miles from Troia, I see two men awaiting a bus. They look like workers, and they are probably tired.

Therefore, I stop there. Then, I look at the rear-view mirror.

They seem to hesitate, so I just drive in reverse to ask them if they need a lift.

“yes please” they say.

Once in, they enquiry: “where do you come from?” I reply: “I come from Manfredonia. I am just heading to Troia to see its renowned cathedral.”

They look pretty glad of having been picked up.

We start talking about wine and olive oil.

The younger, Renato says: “I choose carefully what I eat. Do you read the news?” He adds: “some people work their entire life, then, they die as soon as they retire. I believe, this is due to the fact the there is an abuse of agrochemicals.” He says.

Once in Troia, Renato offers me a coffee to return the favor.

“go straight on, the cathedral is just 5 minutes walking” he says.

I have always liked people from the countryside or small villages. They have a sense of humanity that it is rare to find in the big city.

Once in front the cathedral, I gape myself.

I had never seen so far a rosone as beautiful as this one.

It seems to be made of silk or cotton, and not of stone.

What strikes me is the alternating color of the stones, white and green.

Symbols are everywhere: stars, crescent-shaped and so on.

Another interesting element of this church is represented by the two bronze doors, which are very unusual in Italy.

I spent almost one hour contemplating the cathedral.

From my point of view, this is the most beautiful example of Romanico-Pugliese so far.

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Canosa di Puglia, the “little Rome”

When I was 23 years old, I went to London.

I spent three weeks there in order to attend an English class.

One day, my Polish friend and I decided to not go to school. We took a day off because we had planned to visit the British Museum.

Once in, we entered the exhibitions of Greece and Rome. 

Well, I was just so astounded by seeing so many objects from Canosa, in Apulia.

“I come from this area!” I proudly said to my friend, pointing the finger at the map.

Canosa is a town located in north of Apulia.

It has roughly 5000 years of history.

Canosa was called the “little Rome” because it is located on the top of seven hills, like Rome.

The grandiose appellation was given for an historical reason as well.

The Romans, defeated by Hannibal during the 2^nd Carthaginian war, were rescued by Canosa.

Finally, the Romans managed to beat Hannibal and Canosa was well rewarded: it became colonia. 

Additionally, the Via Traiana passed by Canosa. 

While driving toward Canosa, I just realize that there are vineyards everywhere.

It is September, so it is time to harvest grapes.

The Rosso Canosa is a very good wine, made by Nero di Troia a red grape variety grown just in Apulia.

I arrive at Canosa at 12 o’clock, quite late because of the heavy rain which I have encountered.

Therefore, I have little time to see two things: the Archaeological museum hosted in Palazzo Sinesi and the S. Sabino cathedral.

By the way, Canosa has much more to offer in terms of archaeological and cultural heritage.

After having parked the car, I quickly move to the Cathedral, which hosts two amazing objects: the ambone and the throne with elephants.

The ambone was made by Acceptus, an Apulian Master who adorned the Cathedrals of Siponto and Monte S. Angelo as well.

On the other hand, the marble throne was manufactured by Romualdo. 

The throne has evident Oriental influence, typical example of the Romanico-Pugliese culture.

I feel shivers down my back looking at it. The throne is just so beautiful.

I would have liked to contemplate the Boemondo mausoleum, which is beside the cathedral.

Unfortunately, I do not have time. So, I promise myself to come back soon.

I get out the cathedral.

I quickly move toward Palazzo Sinesi. I look forward to see the archaeological exhibition.

I have half an hour time.

I enter Palazzo Sinesi and talk with the manager.

She says: “Canosa were manufacturing ceramic from the 8^th till the 2^nd century BC. In other words, it stopped with the Roman age.”

From my point of view, the nicest ceramic which I see here it is the Daunian ones. Canosa was Daunian.

The bright pink color was extracted by natural processes.  

Another unique object hosted here is the armour (4^th century BC), coming from a tomb in Lavello.

Apparently, there are just 24 armours from that age spread around the world. 

Some of them come from Canosa di Puglia.

I have completed my visit. I cheer the manager and I get out.

Now, I easily walk toward the car.

I feel tired but serene.

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Medieval armours, an Apulian job

The 28th of August, I attended a Medieval festival held in Manfredonia, north of Apulia.

I was there, taking pictures of a Saracen encampment within the Medieval castle of Manfredonia. 

By the way, the Saracens were tough fighters, faithful to Frederick II the Swabian. 

According to Vito Salierno author of I Musulmani in Puglia e in Basilicata (Ed. Laicata, 2000), Friederick II had relocated around 40.000 Saracens from Sicily to Lucera, north of Apulia.

Indeed, this Apulian town will turned its name to Luceria Saracinorum. 

Let's come back to the Medieval festival

I was captured by the archers who brilliantly showed their skills.

Meantime, I am told that outside the castle, it is going to be held a Medieval fight.

Therefore, I quickly move away, heading to the combat zone.

I really like to see fighters protected by armour battling each other.

In this circumstance, I have the opportunity to know Matteo Riccardi.

During the Medieval fight, Matteo covers the role of referee. I catch his eye as I sneakily try to gain the best position for taking pictures.

He tells me: “mind to not get hurt”, Then, he adds: “why don’t you come to visit me?”.

Matteo Riccardi is an artisan, who produces Medieval armours.

He inherits this passion from his father Michele, who started creating small armours for puppets of the Sicilian theater.

At the beginning, Matteo made armours for hobby, as his job was bricklayer.

However, he quit  his job in 1988. Since then, he dedicated all his energies to make armours. So, his hobby turned in a job.

The artisans represents the spine of the Italian manufacturing system.

“In the Middle age, the best armour makers were Italians, particularly the Missaglia’s family from Milan” Matteo says.

The Missaglia’s family exported their armours all around Europe. They competed against German armour makers located in Augusta and Nuremberg.

Matteo states that the armours were at that time a status symbol. 

Just noble and aristocrats could afford to buy it.

“Once a gay man asked me to make a chastity belt for man” he confides to me.

“So, I made it for him. 

However, I thanked him several times, because I sold almost 100 chastity belt like that”.

Matteo is currently setting up a show room, which is supposed to be ready in a couple of months.

He can not keep talking with me as he needs to complete an armour for a hourse. So, he apologizes and I apologize too.

So, before leaving, I offer him my support as English speaker for business purposes.

Ciao Matteo, see you soon 


Post Scriptum
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Ascoli Satriano, the griffins and the Getty Museum

I have always been told that Ascoli Satriano hosts an awesome archaeological exhibition, particularly important to find out more about the Daunian civilization.

So, as I am taking Lucia to the rail station in Foggia, this time I can not refrain from visiting Ascoli, located in Subappennino Dauno. Ascoli Satriano is around 15 miles from Foggia.

I am a slow driver, so it takes me almost 45 to cover that distance. A snail is faster than me. However, I am proud of my slowness. 

Jokes apart, driving easily allows me to have a look at the landscape.

Ascoli Satriano is located on a top of three hills.

I park the car and ask a lady where the Museum is. It is just 50 metres further. The luck of living in a small town, everything is so handy.

The Museum is free, and of course I am glad of that.

Unfortunately, the watchperson, an old man, tell me that I am not allowed to take any pictures. Reluctantly, I obey to his request. 

Therefore, the pictures displayed in this post have been retrieved from the internet.

Once in, I quickly look for the precious items of which I have always been told. At the first floor, I enter a dark room and…

Well, I can not describe you the marvel that l felt.

I keep my mouth open for few seconds when I see the polychrome marble of 4^th century BC. 

It is a trapezophoros with the two griffins tearing a deer to pieces.

The incredible thing is that the polychrome griffins are made of a marble mined in Turkey.

This and other precious items such as a Podanipter, have been found in a grave where a royal Daunian was buried.

However, what is even more thrilling is the story behind these precious objects.

This and other stories of looted art in Italy have been narrated by the journalist Fabio Isman. He wrote a book I predatori dell’arte perduta (2009, Skira editions).

Grave robbers dug them out around Ascoli Satriano between 1976 and 1977. 

Then, they sold them to Giacomo Medici, a well known art dealer. He store the pieces in Genève.

Through Robin Symes, the items were sold to MauriceTempelsman, a Belgian-American diamond dealer.

Finally, he sold them to the Getty Museum of Malibu (USA) who paid for the couple of griffins (trapezophoros) 5.5 million dollars. This happened in 1985.

Meantime, due to certain reasons, the truth about the items comes out.

The Italian Ministero dei beni e delle attività culturali begun to deal with American authorities in order to get back the precious objects.

Finally, the items have been returned to Italy on the 1^st August of 2007. In 2010, The Italian Minister approved the return of these amazing items to Ascoli Satriano.

Nowadays, Ascoli Satriano is knowing a rebirth thanks to the Griffins and the local archaeological sites.

After having visited the museum, I walk towards the inner town.

There is an imposing building, strategically built as a Norman atop, which subsequently became the abode of the feudatories of Ascoli. In the 17^th and 18^th centuries, at the behest of the Marulli dukes, it was turned into noble aristocrat residence.

The main dish here is lampascioni, a bitter bulb, with potatoes with extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper. Let it cook in the oven for 1 hour. 

Buon appetito and....mind the griffins

Post Scriptum

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Locorotondo and its amazing white wine

Locorotondo is located on top of a hill, between Ionian and Adriatic seas.

It is included in the Province of Bari, capital of the Apulian region.

The town is white and elegant.

The TouringClub has rewarded it as one of the most beautiful in Italy.

Locorotondo comes from the Latin Locus Rotundus (round place).

The inner city is just amazing.

The prevalent colors is white and blue. White because of the buildings and churches. Blue because of the sky.

The atmosphere here is very relaxing, ideal for those travelers who look for peace and cultural events.

In summer time, the entire village turns to a stage due to the Locus festival, a music festival which celebrates this year the 10^th anniversary.

Talking about wine, Locorotondo is very well known due to the white wine which takes its own name: Locorotondo.

The Locorotondo wine is a DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) white wine, which is produced plain or sparkling.

The Locorotondo DOC includes 4000 acres of local vineyards.

This white wine is made by different grapes such as Verdeca and Bianco d’Alessano (50 – 65%).

Additional grapes are permitted up to a maximum of 5% including Bombino bianco, Fiano and Malvasia Toscana.

Talking with people in Locorotondo I realize that they are gentle and calm.

I ask to an old lady what are the main dishes there.

She replies: “Gnumerèdde suffuchète”, which is rolls of lamb tripe tied by lamb gut.

Then, it is left cooking in a terracotta pot.

So, don’t you think that it would be worth to come over and have a dish of Gnumerèdde suffuchète accompanied by a glass of Locorotondo? 


Post Scriptum
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