This city in the Apulia region lies at the base of the Salentine Peninsula on the northern inlet of the Gulf of Taranto. Here numerous Greek tombs have yielded a rich collection of imported Greek and local vases, and a deposit of hundreds of statuettes of Apollo, presumably from the temple of that god, was found. There are also numerous ancient reliefs by local craftsmen. Most of these relics are housed in Taranto’s National Museum. Taranto’s better known Roman remains include ruins of large public baths and of an amphitheatre, mosaic floors, a house, and many cremation and burial tombs. The old city (Città Vecchia), on the site of the Acropolis of Taras on the island between the inner and outer harbours, contains the Aragonese castle (1480; later enlarged), the 11th-century Romanesque cathedral of S. Cataldo with a Baroque facade, and the church of S. Domenico Maggiore. Taranto is a city that is well worth a visit. Located on the beautiful southern Italian coast, Taranto is a city with a rich cultural heritage. Plus, the city and its surrounding regions produce some rather wonderful Italian wines for you to explore.
Taranto
