Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Humphrey of Hauteville

Gravina was populated already in Stone Age times, it was colonized by the Greeks during the colonization of Greater Greece. The Romans took over around 300 BC and the Via Appia, which linked Rome to Brindisi, passed through Gravina. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire it was ruled by Goths, Byzantines, Lombards and Saracens. The Normans arrived around 1000. The town was the site of a Norman countship in the Hauteville Kingdom of Sicily and in 1091 the construction of the Norman cathedral started. Emperor Frederick II had a castle built nearby, that is meanwhile in ruins. From 1386 to 1816 (!) it was a fief of the Orsini family.Feudal oppression led to numerous riots, in particular from 1789 until the unification of Italy in 1861. A cathedral was built here at the end of the 11th century by Umfrido d'Altavilla (aka Humphrey of Hauteville), Count of Apulia and Calabria. This "Norman" church was destroyed in 1447-1456 by a fire followed by an earthquake. The present cathedral was rebuilt in the following thirty years following, in a Renaissance-Romanesque style. In the 17th and 18th century the church underwent some Baroque alterations inside. Today the church is presented as a synthesis of different architectural styles: the late Romanesque, the Renaissance and the Baroque. Obviously at some time after the earthquake the structure suffered from static stress, so that a buttress was added. This destroyed the rose window.

Gravina was populated already in Stone Age times, it was colonized by the Greeks during the colonization of Greater Greece. The Romans took over around 300 BC and the Via Appia, which linked Rome to Brindisi, passed through Gravina. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was ruled by Goths, Byzantines, Lombards and Saracens. The Normans arrived around 1000. The town was the site of a Norman countship in the Hauteville Kingdom of Sicily and in 1091 the construction of the Norman cathedral started. Emperor Frederick II had a castle built nearby, that is meanwhile in ruins. From 1386 to 1816 (!) it was a fief of the Orsini family. Feudal oppression led to numerous riots, in particular from 1789 until the unification of Italy in 1861. A cathedral was built here at the end of the 11th century by Umfrido d'Altavilla (aka Humphrey of Hauteville), Count of Apulia and Calabria. This "Norman" church was destroyed in 1447-1456 by a fire followed by an earthquake. The present cathedral was rebuilt in the following thirty years following, in a Renaissance-Romanesque style. In the 17th and 18th century the church underwent some Baroque alterations inside. Today the church is presented as a synthesis of different architectural styles: the late Romanesque, the Renaissance and the Baroque.

Gravina was populated already in Stone Age times, it was colonized by the Greeks during the colonization of Greater Greece. The Romans took over around 300 BC and the Via Appia, which linked Rome to Brindisi, passed through Gravina. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire it was ruled by Goths, Byzantines, Lombards and Saracens. The Normans arrived around 1000. The town was the site of a Norman countship in the Hauteville Kingdom of Sicily and in 1091 the construction of the Norman cathedral started. Emperor Frederick II had a castle built nearby, that is meanwhile in ruins. From 1386 to 1816 (!) it was a fief of the Orsini family.Feudal oppression led to numerous riots, in particular from 1789 until the unification of Italy in 1861. A cathedral was built here at the end of the 11th century by Umfrido d'Altavilla (aka Humphrey of Hauteville), Count of Apulia and Calabria. This "Norman" church was destroyed in 1447-1456 by a fire followed by an earthquake. The present cathedral was rebuilt in the following thirty years following, in a Renaissance-Romanesque style. In the 17th and 18th century the church underwent some Baroque alterations inside. Today the church is presented as a synthesis of different architectural styles: the late Romanesque, the Renaissance and the Baroque. The facade has this really intricate, wonderful rose window.

Gravina was populated already in Stone Age times, it was colonized by the Greeks during the colonization of Greater Greece. The Romans took over around 300 BC and the Via Appia, which linked Rome to Brindisi, passed through Gravina. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire it was ruled by Goths, Byzantines, Lombards and Saracens. The Normans arrived around 1000. The town was the site of a Norman countship in the Hauteville Kingdom of Sicily and in 1091 the construction of the Norman cathedral started. Emperor Frederick II had a castle built nearby, that is meanwhile in ruins. From 1386 to 1816 (!) it was a fief of the Orsini family.Feudal oppression led to numerous riots, in particular from 1789 until the unification of Italy in 1861. A cathedral was built here at the end of the 11th century by Umfrido d'Altavilla (aka Humphrey of Hauteville), Count of Apulia and Calabria. This "Norman" church was destroyed in 1447-1456 by a fire followed by an earthquake. The present cathedral was rebuilt in the following thirty years following, in a Renaissance-Romanesque style. In the 17th and 18th century the church underwent some Baroque alterations inside. Today the church is presented as a synthesis of different architectural styles: the late Romanesque, the Renaissance and the Baroque.

Oria was known as Hyria in classical times and was a Roman colony, when - as legends tell - St. Peter passed through here, preached the Gospel and consecrated the first bishop. After the fall of the Roman Empire Oria shared the fate of all towns in Southern Italy. Looted by Langobards and Ostrogoths. In 880 it fell into Byzantine hands, in 924 the Saracens set the city on fire and in 977 and was completely destroyed by Saracen troops. Norman Humphrey of Hauteville ("Unfredo di Altavilla") conquered Oria in 1062. Oria had one of the oldest Jewish communities in Europe. Jewish scholarship in Oria included the study of philosophy, the Talmud, languages such as Greek and Latin, and medicine and natural sciences. Oria, a bishopric see since early times, had a Romanesque Cathedral, built within the 13th century. This building got severely damaged by by the earthquake, that shook Southern Italy in February 1743. As the building was unsafe after the quake, it got demolished in 1750 and replaced by the Baroque cathedral of today, which was consecrated already in 1756.

Oria was known as Hyria in classical times and was a Roman colony, when - as legends tell - St. Peter passed through here, preached the Gospel and consecrated the first bishop. After the fall of the Roman Empire Oria shared the fate of all towns in Southern Italy. Looted by Langobards and Ostrogoths. In 880 it fell into Byzantine hands, in 924 the Saracens set the city on fire and in 977 and was completely destroyed by Saracen troops. Norman Humphrey of Hauteville ("Unfredo di Altavilla") conquered Oria in 1062. Oria had one of the oldest Jewish communities in Europe. Jewish scholarship in Oria included the study of philosophy, the Talmud, languages such as Greek and Latin, and medicine and natural sciences. The small church dedicated to San Biagio was erected within the 18th century directly on the wall, that once protected the town.

Oria was known as Hyria in classical times and was a Roman colony, when - as legends tell - St. Peter passed through here, preached the Gospel and consecrated the first bishop. After the fall of the Roman Empire Oria shared the fate of all towns in Southern Italy. Looted by Langobards and Ostrogoths. In 880 it fell into Byzantine hands, in 924 the Saracens set the city on fire and in 977 and was completely destroyed by Saracen troops. Norman Humphrey of Hauteville ("Unfredo di Altavilla") conquered Oria in 1062. Oria had one of the oldest Jewish communities in Europe. Jewish scholarship in Oria included the study of philosophy, the Talmud, languages such as Greek and Latin, and medicine and natural sciences. The "Palazzo del Sedile" is located at the central Piazza Manfredi. It is a square tower in Baroque-Renaissance style, erected in 1700. The Palazzo del Sedile, initially was the seat of the decurions, called "Seggio dei Nobili" (Seat of the Nobles). The decurions were members of the municipal administration and represented the political power of a city. On the upper façade there are two statues representing San Barsanofio and San Carlo Borromeo, in the centre a coat of arms depicting a Bird and two Lions, emblems of the city.

Oria was known as Hyria in classical times and was a Roman colony, when - as legends tell - St. Peter passed through here, preached the Gospel and consecrated the first bishop. After the fall of the Roman Empire Oria shared the fate of all towns in Southern Italy. Looted by Langobards and Ostrogoths. In 880 it fell into Byzantine hands, in 924 the Saracens set the city on fire and in 977 and was completely destroyed by Saracen troops. Norman Humphrey of Hauteville ("Unfredo di Altavilla") conquered Oria in 1062. Oria had one of the oldest Jewish communities in Europe. Jewish scholarship in Oria included the study of philosophy, the Talmud, languages such as Greek and Latin, and medicine and natural sciences. Today Oria has a population of about 15.000, obviously not enough to keep this shop going.