ALTAMURA

1. ALTAMURA Altamura, in south-east of Italy, has a population of about 64.000 inhabitants. It is situated on the Apulian Murgia(hill) at 480 m. above sea level. Its territory has a calcareous structure made up of carbonate rocks dating back 130 millions years ago.

2. In the course of millennium, dolines and caves have been formed. Among the superficial carsick formation, Altamura’s Pulo represents one of the most important example, a doline rich of natural caves inhabited by a man in the Neolithic age.

3. A very interesting discovery was made in a stone quarry in 1999: thousands of dinosaurs’ footprints dated back 70 million years ago. It is one the most important and interesting discoveries in Europe. This discovery is extraordinary for quantity and quality, since the footprints are perfectly preserved.

4. In the autumn of 1993, in the Cave of Lamalunga a group of speleologists run unexpectedly into a man's skeleton lived about between 400 thousand to 100 thousand years ago.This skeleton was discovered in the gallery, hidden by a thin wall of stalactites. The bones of the body lie in a mess, with the skull in the rock. The paleontologists have affirmed that the skeleton belongs to a very ancient man, lived between the Homo erectus and the Neanderthal Man

5. The town Founded in XII century by Frederick II of Swabia, who wanted to build on a hill a church in honour of the Madonna, it offers many historic places, monuments, archaeological site, beauties of nature. Claustro: blind alley with houses on both sides • Ancient tombs with fragments of vases have also been found and there are cases which have been used as primitive tombs or dwellings

6. The mediaeval walls, erected by the emperor Frederick, rest upon the walls of an ancient city of unknown name. These early wallsare of rough blocks of stone without mortar, dated 5th century B.C.

7. Altamura is one of Italy's oldest settlements, as can be seen from the remains of the primitive, megalithic boundary walls Throughout the zone several stone "mirrors“ (from the latin "speculare"= to look attentively) can be noticed .Built in times of old, they were used as corridor-like tombs or as actual sighting turrets.

8. TheCathedralBuilt by Frederick, it is an excellent example of Romanesque Apulian style The first foundation was placed in 1232 at the same time when the town was being founded. • The original structure of the three nave Cathedral is almost beyond recognitiondue to the 1316 earthquake and by the various alternations undertaken throughout the centuries

9. The inside of the cathedral Woodenchoir stallswooden pulpit

10. On the outside you can admire the magnificent portal, one of the richest in Apulia, flanked by 2 lions. The two massive bell towers erected in the XIV c., rise like two arms and in the middle of the façade, there is magnificent 15-ray rose window

11. The landscape The territory of Altamura is characterized by large spaces not yet urbanized, where you can enjoy many natural landscapes; for example the golden wheat in June, with the spikes containing the grains of wheat, that will be milled and will give a good flour for the preparation of bread and "pasta".

12. In April and May, the wheat fields are characterized by bright colors because of the great number of flowers, for example the red poppy

13. Altamura’s economy Its economy is based on. Agriculture Industry thanks to fertile countryside service industry, building firms sofa factories (olives, cereals, grapes, vegetables).

14. In the last two or three decades Altamura has become the second industrial district for the production of durum wheat and it has reached a European fame as “The town of Bread”. There are 14 industrial mills that transform 25.000 quintals of durum wheat daily. 43 baker shops employ 200 workers, and produce 800 quintals of bread every day. Only the 20% of this production is for the local market

15. CHEESE Dairy products are made from cow’s and sheep’s milk. Among them we remember the "Mozzarella“, “Scamorza”, “ricotta” (soft unsalted cheese) Altamura is important for its local and typical dishes, made of simple food..

16. Padre Peppe Prepared with alcohol, green walnut husks, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon. It is often used as a digestive CARTELLATEA typical Christmas recipe prepared with white wine, eggs, sugar, flour and glazed with honey or “vincotto”( cooked wine)