Lucera (source: Visual Puglia )
The history of this city is lost in obscurity, located 18 km from Foggia and a short distance from the Subappenines and Gargano , situated on three hills which dominate the view over the plains of the Tavoliere. The archaeological artefacts date back to the Neolithic and Bronze Age, and to Greek, Dauna, Sannite and Roman epochs. The latter was a golden age for the city, it became a colony under Roman law with wide-reaching independence and privileges. Seat of the “catapano” (captaincy) under the Normans, its maximum period of splendour arrived with Frederick II, who transferred 60,000 Saracens here who had been deported from Sicily between 1222 and 1223. They created a Muslim centre with mosques and harems, later destroyed by the Angevins in 1266. Under the new domination the city became the capital of Capitanata and Contado del Molise and remained as such until the beginning of the 19th century. Traces of this long history remain in the monuments and traditions of Lucera, such as the Historical parade held in August.
(continue...)
Daunia and Gargano territories offer a wide variety of scenarios: sweet hills in Fortore river valley, Daunian Apennine area and Ofanto river valley, Gargano national park, Tavoliere delle Puglie tableland and unpolluted Tremiti archipelago. Where endless wheat stretches rise and one can watch without seeing the horizon there is the Tavoliere, a witness of Foggia, San Severo and Cerignola the agricultural tradition. The greenest area in Apulia: Gargano National Park. It stands for its vegetation, ranging from forests to maquis. Five Tremiti islands are considered as veritable natural heavens. Sea beds, caves and erosions carved by the waves and winds represent overpowering attractions for scuba divers and sea lovers.
St. Mary of the Graces and the Capuchin Monastery - San Giovanni Rotondo
Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Stignano - San Marco in Lamis
Tremiti Archipelago in north of Gargano National Park. Two of the islands have been populated since antiquity and the wonderful natural scenario they are in is enriched by the several stories and legends which have been passed over for centuries now, showing the tight connection between islanders, sea and nature
Go to list
Gargano National Park covers the whole homonymous cape and also includes Tremiti Islan archipelago. In this park there are several rare protected habitats such as Foresta Umbra ('Umbrian forest'), the last existing sample of a vegetation characterizing most of Mediterranean area during prehistory
Daunia, ancient Capitanata region, includes the Preappennines, the Apulian Tavoliere and Gargano. Its landscape is extremely diverse and ranges from the green of inland parks and forests to the yellow of wheat in the Tavoliere, to the blue of sea water in contrast with coastal white cliffs.
Project created in collaboration with InnovaPuglia.
Regione Puglia
Regione Puglia