Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Via Traiana

The Romans conquered Nardò in 269 BC and built the Via Traiana through it. After the fall of the Western Empire and following the battles between Byzantines and Goths, it was absorbed into the Byzantine Empire and, for a brief period, was annexed to the Lombard Kingdom. Between 901 and 924 Nardò was attacked and sacked by Saracens from Sicily. In 1055 the Normans conquered the town and the Benedictine monks were allowed to settle. The second half of the 13th century was followed by Angevin rule, which determined the birth and spread of feudalism. The "Guglia dell'Immacolata" (Tower of the Immaculate Conception) is located in Piazza Salandra in the center of the old town. The baroque tower (19 m high) was built after the devasting earthquake of 1743. In the background you can see the baroque facade of Chiesa San Trifone .

The Romans conquered Nardò in 269 BC and built the Via Traiana through it. After the fall of the Western Empire and following the battles between Byzantines and Goths, it was absorbed into the Byzantine Empire and, for a brief period, was annexed to the Lombard Kingdom. Between 901 and 924 Nardò was attacked and sacked by Saracens from Sicily. In 1055 the Normans conquered the town and the Benedictine monks were allowed to settle. The second half of the 13th century was followed by Angevin rule, which determined the birth and spread of feudalism. An early Christian/Byzantine was the predecessor church when under Norman rule, the church was built in 1088. The building suffered from frequent earthquakes. So some arches inside were rebuilt in Gothic style and the floor was raised by 40 centimeters. In the second half of the 13th century, the church tower was built, which in the 14th century, was incorporated to enlarge the church, which also received a new facade. In the middle of the 15th century, after earthquakes, renewed stabilization measures had to be carried out on the columns and arches. At the beginning of the 18th century, an extensive baroqueization took place with a new facade, main altar and renovation of the side chapels. In 1743 the town of Nardò was again severely damaged by an earthquake. The church tower, rebuilt afterward, fell into the left nave after a lightning strike in 1815. The crucifix is called "Cristo Nero" and probably dates from the 13th/14th century. However, according to legend, it dates back to Nardò's Byzantine period. It is said to have been damaged during a Saracen attack and the bleeding of a finger is said to have frightened the Saracens.

The Romans conquered Nardò in 269 BC and built the Via Traiana through it. After the fall of the Western Empire and following the battles between Byzantines and Goths, it was absorbed into the Byzantine Empire and, for a brief period, was annexed to the Lombard Kingdom. Between 901 and 924 Nardò was attacked and sacked by Saracens from Sicily. In 1055 the Normans conquered the town and the Benedictine monks were allowed to settle. The second half of the 13th century was followed by Angevin rule, which determined the birth and spread of feudalism. An early Christian/Byzantine was the predecessor church when under Norman rule, the church was built in 1088. The building suffered from frequent earthquakes. So some arches inside were rebuilt in Gothic style and the floor was raised by 40 centimeters. In the second half of the 13th century, the church tower was built, which in the 14th century, was incorporated to enlarge the church, which also received a new facade. In the middle of the 15th century, after earthquakes, renewed stabilization measures had to be carried out on the columns and arches. At the beginning of the 18th century, an extensive baroqueization took place with a new facade, main altar and renovation of the side chapels. In 1743 the town of Nardò was again severely damaged by an earthquake. The church tower, rebuilt afterward, fell into the left nave after a lightning strike in 1815. From 1892 to 1899, during necessary restorations, the baroque stucco was removed. The nave

The Romans conquered Nardò in 269 BC and built the Via Traiana through it. After the fall of the Western Empire and following the battles between Byzantines and Goths, it was absorbed into the Byzantine Empire and, for a brief period, was annexed to the Lombard Kingdom. Between 901 and 924 Nardò was attacked and sacked by Saracens from Sicily. In 1055 the Normans conquered the town and the Benedictine monks were allowed to settle. The second half of the 13th century was followed by Angevin rule, which determined the birth and spread of feudalism. An early Christian/Byzantine was the predecessor church when under Norman rule, the church was built in 1088. The building suffered from frequent earthquakes. So some arches inside were rebuilt in Gothic style and the floor was raised by 40 centimeters. In the second half of the 13th century, the church tower was built, which in the 14th century, was incorporated to enlarge the church, which also received a new facade. In the middle of the 15th century, after earthquakes, renewed stabilization measures had to be carried out on the columns and arches. At the beginning of the 18th century, an extensive baroqueization took place with a new facade, main altar and renovation of the side chapels. In 1743 the town of Nardò was again severely damaged by an earthquake. The church tower, rebuilt afterward, fell into the left nave after a lightning strike in 1815. From 1892 to 1899, during necessary restorations, the baroque stucco was removed.

The area was colonized between the 8th and 5th centuries BC by the Greeks. Around the 4th century BC the village conducted commercial exchanges with most of the Italic populations and minted its own currency. Ruvo established itself as a thriving polis of Magna Graecia. After the end of the Hellenistic age in Apulia, the town played a role for the Roman Republic, first being assigned Roman citizenship, then the title of municipium and finally becoming the station of the Via Traiana. In the 5th century, Ruvo disappeared under the blows of the invasions of the Goths which reduced the city to a pile of rubble. Ruvo, refounded on the slopes of the original hill, was first conquered by the Lombards and then fell prey to the Saracens. It was the people who decided then to equip themselves with a wall with towers. In the 11th century, Ruvo entered the county of Conversano and suffered violence due to internal struggles for power, which conflicts led to the second destruction of the town. However, it was under Frederick II that Ruvo finally recognized cultural and economic growth, a period marked by the construction of the Romanesque-Gothic cathedral. Ruvo Cathedral was the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Ruvo, it is now a co-cathedral in the Diocese of Molfetta-Ruvo-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi. The building was built between the 12th and 13th centuries, with several later alterations. The current exterior is the result of early 20th-century restoration works which removed all the Baroque additions. The church has a sloped façade with three portals. The central one, flanked by two columns standing on lions and surmounted by griffins, has internal reliefs which were once part of an earlier construction. The smaller ones, at the sides, have a simpler shape, with two semi-columns supporting ogival arches; they also belonged to previous buildings. The main portal

The area was colonized between the 8th and 5th centuries BC by the Greeks. Around the 4th century BC the village conducted commercial exchanges with most of the Italic populations and minted its own currency. Ruvo established itself as a thriving polis of Magna Graecia. After the end of the Hellenistic age in Apulia, the town played a role for the Roman Republic, first being assigned Roman citizenship, then the title of municipium and finally becoming the station of the Via Traiana. In the 5th century, Ruvo disappeared under the blows of the invasions of the Goths which reduced the city to a pile of rubble. Ruvo, refounded on the slopes of the original hill, was first conquered by the Lombards and then fell prey to the Saracens. It was the people who decided then to equip themselves with a wall with towers. In the 11th century, Ruvo entered the county of Conversano and suffered violence due to internal struggles for power, which conflicts led to the second destruction of the town. However, it was under Frederick II that Ruvo finally recognized cultural and economic growth, a period marked by the construction of the Romanesque-Gothic cathedral. Ruvo Cathedral was the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Ruvo, it is now a co-cathedral in the Diocese of Molfetta-Ruvo-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi. The building was built between the 12th and 13th centuries, with several later alterations. The current exterior is the result of early 20th-century restoration works which removed all the Baroque additions. The church has a sloped façade with three portals. The central one, flanked by two columns standing on lions and surmounted by griffins, has internal reliefs which were once part of an earlier construction. The smaller ones, at the sides, have a simpler shape, with two semi-columns supporting ogival arches; they also belonged to previous buildings.