Comune di Brindisi - Settore Turismo

Geography

Located in the Salento plains near the Adriatic Sea, has a natural harbor, an estuary that is wedged deep into the coast, important links with Greece, Turkey and Albania. The mercantile concerns coal, fuel oil, natural gas, chemicals. The port is divided into three basins: the internal and external medium. In the inner harbor are active in the bosom of Levante, eleven piers, for a development of 1925 m with depths from 8.5 to 10 m. The port is primarily intended for medium business.

The docks are expanding on the Costa Morena 1170 m with a depth of 14 m squares for 300,000 square meters. Along the Costa Morena Dam (500 m) is developing the system, by tape and tubing for the landing of foodstuffs intended for power stations south and north of Brindisi. A point on Earth are operative 270 m of quays for ro-ro berth with the possibility of a contemporary of five ships.

The portoesterno has primarily focussed on industry and it is installed facilities for landing of goods destined for factories in the industrial center chemical. Overall, the port of Brindisi has 21 commercial docks for a linear development of over 3,700 m.

History

It is a city of Roman origins, perhaps founded by the Illyrian people, and its Latin name Brundisium through greek Brentesion, closely follows the word messapico Brention, deer head, which seems to refer to the shape of the port that the host city. Ancient royal seat messapica, Brindisi, for its strategic location, was always at odds with the nearby Taranto. In 267 BC was conquered by the Romans. The famous Roman poet Virgil died there September 19 19 BC. There was the birthplace of the poet Mark pacuvio. It was then very active and caposcala port for the East and Greece, connected to Rome through the consular Appia, the Queen of Roads, and Traiana. Episcopal see since the apostolic age, was the center for promoting the Christian evangelization of the southern Puglia.

Later Brindisi was conquered by the Goths in the sixth century, including from Byzantium in its sphere of influence. Destroyed in 674 by the Lombards led by Romuald of Benevento, in the ninth century was home, the site of Torre Guaceto an entrenched camp buck. Resumption by the Byzantines, he remained in possession until the Norman Conquest in 1070. State town, will be linked to the ruling dynasties of the Swabians, of Anjou, of Aragon. The city has re-launched as the main board to the East during the Crusades, when the port number of knights and embark pilgrims in the Holy Land. The same Emperor Frederick II of Swabia, November 9, 1221 at the Cathedral of Brindisi takes his wife Isabella (or Yolande) of Brienne, heir to the throne of Jerusalem (document on marriage between Frederick and Isabella), and the port of Brindisi in 1228 for the he commanded the Sixth Crusade (Document VI on crusade left Brindisi).

It will then, as other ports in Apulia, rule of Venice before be included in the domains of Spain. The city, devastated by the plague in 1348 will be repopulated thanks to massive immigration of Slavs, Albanians and Greeks. With the Unification of Italy in 1860 with the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, became the Brindisi terminal European Suitcase Indies. During World War Brindisi was used as headquarters of the Allied Command for lower Adriatic. Between September 1943 and February 1944 the city had a role as capital of Italy.

Landmark

• The two Roman columns have always been the symbol of the city of Brindisi. Although we believe, mistakenly, that marked the exact point of termination of the Via Appia, in reality served as the reference port for ancient mariners. Were built in the second century with a marble from Turkey, today is only a supplement and is made up of eight rock, for an overall height of 18.74 meters to. The Corinthian capitals decorated with acanthus leaves, heads of divinity, and eight triton. The other column collapsed in 1528, today there was only one of the base and drums. The remainder is located in Piazza Santo Oronzo in Lecce.
• In the Piazza del Duomo is ammirabilr the Portico of the Knights Templar, created in the [fourteenth century], remnants of a much more majestic building. Today the museum entrance costituiusce Ribezzo, which contains everything that is found in the province, also contains valuable section of the cast of Trajan's Column which is shown in the port of Brindisi, there are also numerous vases, pottery and statues. Other sections of the museum showing artifacts that testify to the traffic in the port already prehistoric times.
• Also in the old town is the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, which was built in 1600 and was built by the dukes of Lorraine.
• Today's Piazza della Vittoria includes two squares in the seventeenth century were called the square of the nobles and the square of the populace, where was the market. In the summers of 1617 and 1618 Brindisi experienced epidemics due to water shortages that pushed the population and drinking water is not practical. The then governor of the city, Captain Pedro Aloysio de Torres, Spanish, large capacity, to carry water to the citizens, decided to build three fountains in the town, and charge the cost to the citizens in proportion to the ability of each . The fountain in Piazza Vitooria, consisting of a large marble basin which collects water gushing from a beautiful tank top smaller, also of marble, much like a baptismal font in more ancient times, there is an inscription in memory Governor de Torres.
• The large fountain, also known as fountain Tancredi, is near the end of the ancient Via Appia, despite its name, was built by the Romans. Tancred, Count of Lecce and the last Norman king, took only to have it restored in 1192, to commemorate the wedding in the Cathedral that year between his son Roger and Irene of Greece, daughter of Emperor Isaac of Constantinople.
• In Piazza Cairoli is the Fountain of Anchors, which dates back to 1937. The original design consists of a central column made up of four who carried fasces bowl, creating an elegant striking effects of light, was completely redesigned with a project of the Autonomous Aqueduct Pugliese.
• Another monument worthy of note is the Castello Svevo, also called the "great castle" or "land", built by Frederick II, whose plant is trapezoidal and has sturdy square tower. For its construction materials were used by the old walls and other body monuments in ruins. Abandoned by the Spanish, was turned into a prison by Joachim Murat in 1813, and then from 1909 is used by the Navy. The castle was the naval base during both world wars, was also hosted here in 1943, King Vittorio Emanuele III, who transformed the capital of Brindisi in Italy (10/9/43 - 11/2/44).
• Coming to Brindisi from the sea you can admire the Castello Aragonese, better known as sea fort. This is a building built in 1491 on the island facing the port by Ferdinand I of Aragon to defend the city against attacks from the sea. The Castello Aragonese is composed of two sections: the Red Castle, a name due to the color of its bricks taken from the rock of the island, and the stronger, more recently, to the accommodation of the garrison.
• Entering the harbor from the sea or walking on the pier one can not but notice the del Cavallo Italy created in 1933 with the typical form of rudder 54 meters high. At the base there is a memorial chapel in which they commemorated the fallen of World Wars and is kept the bell of the battleship "Benedetto Brin", which sank in the port of Brindisi in 1915.
• The archaeological sites of San Pietro degli Schiavoni (underlying the new theater suspended), Via Casimiro.

Churches

• The Cathedral, visit the Piazza del Duomo. The magnificent church is Romanesque but has a facade of the eighteenth century. Inside you can admire the mosaic floor, a splendid altar and the choir in the sixteenth century carved wood. It was built for Pope Urban II and the Bailardo, rebuilt after the earthquake of 20 February 1743, designed by the architect Mauro Manieri. The church houses the tomb of silver reliquary of the body of San Teodoro.
• The church of St. Benedict, which has existed in the eleventh century was built by the Norman Count Godfrey and Sighelgaita. Shall, on the entrance portal, sculpted panels depicting scenes of battles between humans and imaginary animals.
• The church of St. John at the tomb has a circular from the early twelfth century and traces of frescoes on the walls.
• Santa Maria del Casale is a fine example of architecture of transition from the Romanesque to the Gothic style, was built between 1300 and 1310. Presents harmonious geometric compositions, of blocks of gray sandstone and Carparo golden roof and a porch canopy on the shelf climbing. In the interior you can admire frescoes by Rinaldo from Taranto, with him sitting among the Apostles, Angels, and episodes of the New Testament and stories from the Passion.
• St. Paul, an example of Gothic, was rebuilt in the seventeenth century and was restored in 1949. Inside is the chapel dedicated to St. Francis, on the inner walls are the remains of the frescoes.
• The Church of the Holy Trinity or Saint Lucia, which also had to be a fully painted, is the fourteenth century. It features a crucifix and a wooden altarpiece depicting the Madonna of the sweet songs of the sixteenth century. You can see the crypt, which dates from the late twelfth century.
• The Church of Christ, completed around 1232, boasts a Romanesque facade where alternate horizontal white stone and the golden, interrupted by a large rose window. Inside features a crucifix and a painted wooden statue of the Madonna and Child attributable to the XI century French Gothic sculpture.
• The church of Santa Maria degli Angeli was built in 1609 on the initiative of S. Lorenzo with the prevailing financial contribution of Duke Maximilian of Bavaria and the King of Spain Philip III. It was subsequently transformed with the enlargement of the perimeter walls and the moving of the entrance. We can admire a fine wood doors, carved with images that relate hagiographic S. Francis, St. Clare and the Evangelists. Preserves two crucifixes, one wood and one in ivory, many paintings and relics of St. Lawrence.
• The church of Santa Teresa, built in 1671 in the neighborhood said the "Spanish" is a typical example of baroque architecture.

Museums

• Provincial Archaeological Museum "F. Ribezzo"
• Museum of Civilization Ethnic Salentina "Agrilandia Museum"

Travel

International airport of Brindisi-Casale
The airport of Brindisi (Papola-Casale) has daily connections with major Italian and European cities. The airport, situated 6 km from the city center, serves the entire province of Brindisi to Taranto (in part) and that of Lecce. In 2004 a total of 754,289 passengers have passed through, were loaded and unloaded goods for 805,108 tonnes but have stopped over 9418 aircraft.

The airport has two runways, one in NW-SE 2628 m long, the other in the direction NE-SW long 1970 m.

Active before the second world war, the airport of Brindisi from 1928 had regular air connections to Vlore in Albania which was followed by those from 1933, on the Brindisi - Athens - Rhodes and Brindisi-Athens - Istanbul. Discontinued in 1943 due to the war, the civil resumed regular activity in 1947. Between 1960 and 1970 the second runway is lengthened up to 2628 meters today. In the eighties, the facilities are substantially altered with the construction of a series of buildings, including a barracks of the fire brigade and a structure for freight traffic.

The United Nations logistics base

In Brindisi have established a United Nations Logistics Base (UNLB) and the Deposit of WFP-UNHRD. The UNLB, active since 1994, receives material from closing or downsizing missions, inspection, repair, store and send such material to peace operations and humanitarian who so request, prepares and maintains the conditions of efficiency, the so-called "START UP KITS ", ie all those materials and equipment required to launch a new mission, Opera as a clearinghouse for telecommunications satellite for the United Nations.

The filing of WFP-UNHRD is located at the military airport "O. Pierozzi" in Brindisi where cargo planes can land some of considerable size. The deposits, managed by the World Food Program, were transferred June 1, 2000 from the previous headquarters of Pisa on the authority of the Secretary General of the United Nations, who has entrusted their management to the WFP / PAM in view of its logistics capabilities in humanitarian activities . This structure ensures a fast and effective relief to people affected by natural disasters or wars. Food aid and medicines are stored in the warehouse and ready to be transported as soon as this need. From Brindisi, WFP is able to create real operational bases everywhere, able to receive and distribute aid and assess the damage and immediate needs.

The deposit, which has three stores, has a total area of over 6,000 square meters. Contains a ready-divided materials such as:

• Basic necessities,
• Drugs and medical consumables,
• Food
• Total reserve,
• Equipment, including transportation, telecommunication systems and office furniture.