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 The
Apennines of Daunia is marked by pleasant hill landscapes and by
luxuriant oaks and beeches woods. The romantic towns with the stone
houses are an indefinable and rare landscape, where the beauty of
the nature blends with the different towns rich in history and with
the peace of the country atmosphere. By starting from the capital
of the province, along the trunk road 17, the first town, that is
to reach, is Lucera, about 220m a.s.l.. Since the
Samnite Wars (315 B.C.) it was a Roman colony and was one of the
most favourite towns of Frederick II. In the Augustan Age an Amphitheatre,
dedicated to Caesar Augustus, was built. In 1932 the excavations
brought it to light and at present it is to visit. The town offers
to the visitors great amenities such as: the Swabian-Angevine
fortress, built by Frederick II and partly changed by Charles
I of Anjou with a mighty town-wall. At the beginning of the XIV
cent., Charles II of Anjou built the beautiful Gothic Cathedral
(consecrated to Our Lady of Assumption). It was built, where a great
Saracen mosque was placed. The mosque, symbol of the Saracen colony,
that Frederick II transferred to Lucera from Sicily between 1223
and 1224, was destroyed by Charles II. Going through the old town
rich in noble buildings, other two churches of the Angevines age
are to see: S. Domenico, at present in Baroque
style and the church of St. Francesco, where the mortal remains
of the Saint from Lucera, St. Francessco Antonio
Fasani are kept. The Church of San Matteo al Carmine
with its nice square, is also to visit together with the churches
of Santa Caterina and of San Antonio Abate.
In Lucera an important town Museum is placed, it
is named after “Giuseppe Fiorelli” and exhibits a great number of
finds, dated back to the Roman Age. From Lucera along the main road,
Biccari is to reach, it is a little town rich in
vegetation: the natural protected area of Monte
Cornacchia and of Bosco Cerasa are to visit together with the lake
of Pescara of volcanic origin and the Vado del
Tufo wood. In the old town the Byzantine Tower
and the ethnographic Museum are also to see. In
Faeto (866 m a.s.l.) the wood plays an important
role; it is one of the highest towns in the province of Foggia and
is also a linguistic island. It dates back to the year 1345, when
Charles II of Anjou let a Provencal colony settle down. At present
the dialect keeps the French-Provencal origin. It is very interesting
to visit the Main Church and the Ethnografic
Museum, that is placed in the ancient building of Catapano.
Along the Northern Apennines of Daunia other towns are to reach.
In Roseto Valfortore there is an interesting medieval
centre and the Baronial Palace. Volturino,
Volturara Appula and Alberona
are rich in a luxuriant vegetation, fed by fresh and clear water
springs, here it is possible to taste a good local food. Motta
Montecorvino and Pietramontecorvino are
the richest towns in history of the Northern Mountains of Daunia.
They were built, with Volturino, by the refugees of Montecorvino.
In Pietramontecorvino an interesting old town and a nice Swabian
Ducal Castle are placed. Casalvecchio di
Puglia keeps the dialect of an Albanian community, that
settled down here in the XV cent.. Castelnuovo della Daunia
is an important thermal town and Casalnuovo Monterotaro
lies near the ruins of a Castle, built about in
the IX cent. On the borders on Campania, San Marco la Catola
is placed; it is a little town, probably built in the XIII cent.
by the survivors of the VI Crusade. The Palace-fortress
with two towers and the Convent of Capuchins are
to visit. Inside the monastery, built in 1585 on the ruins of an
abbey, a wooden bas-relief of the Madonna of Giosafat, dated back
to XIII cent. is to admire. According to the tradition, it was carried
by the Christians from Jerusalem, set free by Frederick II. Celenza
Valfortore and Carlantino are placed near
the Occhito dam and the Fortore valley. In the Southern Mountains
of Daunia other towns rich in culture and nice landscapes are situated.
One of the most well-known towns is Troia, famous
for its Romanesque Cathedral, its rose window is
the symbol of the town. It was built in the place of the ancient
town Aecae, a little town contested by Romans and Carthaginians;
the old town was built in the year Thousand. The church of St.
Basilio (XI cent.) and San Giovanni are
also to visit together with the noble little palaces, the Diocesan
Museum and the Town Museum. You can go
from here either to Castelluccio Valmaggiore, with
the nice Byzantine tower, or to Celle San Vito,
the smallest town in the Southern Mountains of Daunia about 200
inhabitans; its dialect, like in Faeto, is the French-Provencal.
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A
few kms from Troia Orsara di Puglia is placed. Its origin
is very ancient; as from 1228 till the end of the century, it was seat
of the Order of the Calatrava Knights, they built the Baronial
Palace. The Abbey of Our Lady of Assumption
(XI cent) and the Cave-Sanctuary of ST. Michael are to
visit. In summer the “Orsara Jazz” show is not to miss.
Going on, you can reach Bovino, its origins are very
ancient (the Town Museum and ruins, scattered in the
fields, are the evidence). It was Diocesan and Ducal seat. A great number
of monuments reminds its history: the Cathedral, dated
back to the XII cent. and the Castle, built by the Normans
on a Roman fortress and enlarged by Frederick II. It was changed into
a Ducal Palace by the Guevara family in the XVII cent.. A few kms far
from the town, the Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Valleverde
is placed. Going on, Deliceto is to reach. The Castle,
with a quadrangular plan, reminds the historical events in the age of
the Normans and of the Aragoneses. 5 kms far from the town, the “Convent
of Santa Maria della Consolazione” lonely and stately stands.
St Alfonso de’ Liguori and San Gerardo Maiella lived for a long time here.
In Deliceto, at the beginning of August the “black pig day”
of the Mountains of Daunia (native breed of swine) is celebrated with
games, dances, music and local craftsmanship. The plan, started by the
Pegaso Cooperative society in collaboration with the National Research
Council in 2001, was to reintroduce the ancient and special breed of swine
in these lands. The town is placed on the top of a hill and overlooks
one of the most beautiful panorama in the Capitanata. This is the reason
why Sant’Agata is called the balcony of Apulia. The Castle,
churches, noble palaces, the Convent of Sant’Antonio
and an ancient oil-press, dated back to the XVI cent., mark the town.
Tre Titoli is the name of the mountain, on which Accadia
stands. After careful comparisons, many scholars of the province compare
the land of Accadia to some areas of the Dolomites. The place close to
the gorge of Pietra di Punta f. ex., is made of Karst
stones, sloping for about 150 m to the stream Frugno, with a spectacular
play of water. Accadia is a medieval little town, built on the ruins of
the very ancient Eca. The ruins of the Castle and of
the Rotaro Station, along the Appian Way are still to see. On the borders
Irpinia, Anzano di Puglia a little town is situated.
It lives on agriculture (cereals, olives and wine) and on herd industry
with very tasty cheeses and caciocavallo cheeses. Close to the borders
on Campania, two towns are to reach: Monteleone di Puglia,
immersed into the vegetation, since 1929 belonging to the province of
Foggia, and Panni, the name probably comes from Pan,
the God of woods. Coming back to Foggia, Ascoli Satriano
is interesting to see. A great number of excavations promoted the opening
of an Archaeological Park of Daunia and brought to light
the important site of Villa di Faragola. It is rich in
nice mosaics and stratifications, dating back to the IV cent.-IX cent.
A.D.. Dating back to the Roman Age, the ruins of a brigde on the Carapelle
stream and of an aqueduct are still to see. In the old town a Cathedral,
dated back to the XII cent., noble buildings and a Castle
of the XIII cent., changed into a Ducal Palace, are to visit. In 279 B.C.
the famous Ascoli battle took place, here the Romans fought against Pyrrhus.
From Ascoli in the direction to Campania and Basilicata, you can reach
Candela, with the nice old town and in a good state buildings,
and Rocchetta Sant’Antonio, with the typical tower of
the stem-shaped Castle, dated back to the XV cent.. A
fix leg for the horse races fans is Castelluccio dei Sauri,
with the very modern race course. 