| The town of Gioia del Colle, dating from the ninth century, retains many of its past. In particular, the urban structure of the old town has retained its original appearance, although the buildings themselves have undergone several transformations and reconstructions. Some buildings, however, have crossed the centuries without undergoing any change, among them, peculiarities of Gioia, the arches that were used as input to the "courts", which contained a widening access to several homes owned by a single lord. A metal or wooden door, now missing, underlined their defensive function that was added to that provided by the city walls. |