1. Travel
  2. Italy

Ostuni 2017

The region around Ostuni has been inhabited since the Stone age. The town is reputed to have been originally established by the Messapii, a pre-classic tribe, and destroyed by Hannibal during the Punic Wars. It was then re-built by the Greeks, the name Ostuni deriving from the Greek Astu néon ("new town"). Sacked after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, in 996 AD the town became part of the Norman County of Lecce .The Normans built their medieval town around the summit of the hill (229 m), with a castle (only remains can be seen) and city walls with four gates. From 1300 to 1463 it was part of the Principality of Taranto and from 1507 (together with what is now the frazione of Villanova and Grottaglie) passed to Isabella, Duchess of Bari, wife of Gian Galeazzo Sforza, Duke of Milan. Under Isabella's rule, Ostuni thrived during the Italian Renaissance. Isabella protected humanists and people of art and letters, including bishop Giovanni Bovio. She died in 1524 and Ostuni passed as a dowry to her daughter Bona Sforza, wife-to-be of Sigismund I of Poland, King of Poland. During Bona Sforza's government, Ostuni continued to enjoy a stable rule. In 1539 she had towers built along all the shoreline as protection against anticipated attacks from Turks who controlled the Balkans. These towers (still extant, including Pozzella Tower, the Pylon, Villanova and others), were garrisoned and communicated using fiery beacons.
Read More
  • _EGL9538

    _EGL9538

  • _EGL9540

    _EGL9540

  • _EGL9540

    _EGL9540

  • _EGL9543

    _EGL9543

  • _EGL9552

    _EGL9552

  • _EGL9558

    _EGL9558

  • _EGL9559

    _EGL9559

  • _EGL9560

    _EGL9560

  • _EGL9562

    _EGL9562

  • _EGL9565

    _EGL9565

  • _EGL9568

    _EGL9568

  • _EGL9571

    _EGL9571

  • _EGL9572

    _EGL9572

  • _EGL9573

    _EGL9573

  • _EGL9579

    _EGL9579

  • _EGL9581

    _EGL9581

  • _EGL9583

    _EGL9583

  • _EGL9587

    _EGL9587

  • _EGL9591

    _EGL9591

  • _EGL9593

    _EGL9593

  • _EGL9595

    _EGL9595

  • _EGL9596

    _EGL9596

  • _EGL9598

    _EGL9598

  • _EGL9605

    _EGL9605

  • _EGL9606

    _EGL9606

  • _EGL9612

    _EGL9612

  • _EGL9615

    _EGL9615

  • _EGL9620

    _EGL9620

  • _EGL9623

    _EGL9623

  • _EGL9624

    _EGL9624

  • _EGL9625

    _EGL9625

  • _EGL9627

    _EGL9627

  • Photo Sharing
  • About SmugMug
  • Browse Photos
  • Prints & Gifts
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Owner Log In
© 2023 SmugMug, Inc.