| The historic centre
The city of Altamura has been repopulated by Frederick II, he cancelled the taxes and made it therefore attractive for everybody. Soon the city flourished as never before. Frederick II was known for his tolerance, he had enjoyed a multicultural education and his administration was a blend of Greek bureaucracy and Norman feudalism. He had granted freedom of worship to Muslims and Jews. Roughly saying we can state that the centre divided itself in 4 areas: the Greek, the Arabic, the Jewish and the Latin.
Seeing the plan of Altamura one can find the historic centre as circle around the cathedral. In the centre it is parted by ‘il Corso Federico II di Svevia’ and closed by the streets ‘Corso Vittorio Emanule II’, ‘Corso Umberto I’, ‘Via Maggio’ and a piece of ‘Via Vittorio Veneto’. The main Corso is ‘closed’ by two gates: Porta Bari (opens onto Piazza Unità d’Italia) at the north end and Porta Matera (opens onto Piazza della Resistenza) at the south. Porta Matera unfortunately lost its arch during the resistance in 1799 of the Altamurani against Cardinal Ruffo.
Right next to Porta Matera are the Monastery and church Our Lady of Perpetual Succour now dedicated to Saint Francis of Paula. The construction was initiated in the 16th century and at expenses of the university Altamura once had. It is now in use by the municipality. Close to the monastery is the Saint Lucia church. The origin of the church can be dated back to the Greek – Byzantine period when some social communities continued living inside the walls after the Saracens had destroyed the city (in the 9th century). Only later, in the 17th and 18th century, discoveries were made after the church was destroyed and included marble pavement, altars and burials some meters under the present floor level. Unfortunately the church has lost all its old elements.
Walking down the ‘Corso’ one can find the church Saint Nicholas of the Greeks on the right, constructed little after the cathedral by the Greek – Byzantine people. The church was used until 1602 by the Greek immigrants when the Greek rite became abolished and the church was officiated for the Latin rite. The simple Romanesque façade has been embellished in 1576 reliefs by the local Nicola de Gessa. Around the door are reliefs of the Old and New testament. Funny fact: Adam and Eve are depicted with Adam covering the breast part and down and Eve only down.
Inside there is only one nave. Particular is the painted statue of Saint Nicholas of Mira in wood of which the hand has been changed from Greek Benedictine to Latin Benedictine when all orthodox cultures were suppressed. On the ceiling scenes from Saint Nicholas’ life are depicted. Leaving the church one can see the recently restored fresco of Saint Christopher on the façade of yet another church.
A particular aspect in Altamura’s historic centre are the claustri (singular claustro, which in Latin means narrow space). This is a method of building used when more and more room is needed. The entrance lies at the main road and there is a large courtyard. This courtyard is slowly built full of houses so that all the entrances lead to the courtyard instead of the road. Room was needed because Frederick II gave everyone permission to live in the city without paying taxes. Because most of daily life took place on the street, no one needed a large house. In the claustro there was a well and the children were educated there. Today around 80 claustri are still in use and if you look well you can see old elements like family weapons.
Altamura is famous for its bread. |