Bathed by the waters of the Ionian Sea, the city of Taranto stands in an ideal "marine" position. To the eyes of tourists an unforgettable scenery is presented: the privileged location on the gulf has made Taranto "city of the two seas" a large and remarkable commercial port and an important naval base.
Founded by Spartan settlers, it immediately became, in the context of Magna Graecia, a city of considerable importance and attractiveness. The situation did not change even with the fall of the Roman Empire, when the various invasions and destructions by Ostrogoths, Arabs, Saracens, Goths, and Lombards began to follow one another.
Few traces remain of the ancient city; well preserved, however, is the medieval environment. An important center is the National Museum, founded in 1820, which constitutes an irreplaceable complex for knowledge of the artistic civilization of Magna Graecia. It houses rich grave goods, statuary of Greek and Roman manufacture, clay material found in the extensive necropolises of the various centers of Apulia and southern Italy, vases, cups, ceramics and gold diadems with precious stones and enamels.
From the mainland city, the swing bridge over the channel of access to the mar piccolo leads to the island where the Aragonese Castle is located; through a narrow street that cuts through the network of narrow streets of the medieval city, you reach the Romanesque-era cathedral with Byzantine crypt. An interesting visit to the city surroundings in the area of the ravines with Byzantine hypogea.
THE FESTIVAL.
Against a now late spring backdrop, from May 8 to 10 the city of Taranto dresses up for the religious and civil celebrations dedicated to its patron saint San Cataldo, the saint who arrived from Ireland.
On the evening of May 8, a ceremony is held in which city authorities are united in faith toward the saint. During a solemn ceremony, the religious authorities, custodians of the relics, deliver into the hands of the mayor the precious silver statue of St. Cataldo, which is hoisted aboard a Navy ship.
As the sun now tinges the sky and waters red, giving way to the first stars of the night, the evocative procession at sea begins: the military ship carrying the effigy of the saint plies the waters lapping the coasts of Taranto with in tow a rich fleet of boats and fishing boats of different tonnage all festively decorated, as if to protect in turn those who have been watching over the city for centuries.
The highlight of the evening coincides with the procession's passage through the Mar Grande waterway, which is illuminated by cascades of silver fireworks as the sirens of the boats in tow participate in that collective joy and the archbishop imparts a blessing to the sea, boats and fishing boats.
On May 9, alongside the religious celebrations, events of an exquisitely folkloric nature take place in eight locations distributed within the Old City (among the Cathedral, piazzale De Tullio, piazza Monteoliveto, largo Innocentini, piazza Castello, the Archbishop's Hall, palazzo Galeota and the Cloister of Santa Chiara) with singing concerts, food stations, artistic and playful events such as the Palio di Taranto, a competition of rowing boats representing the city's districts.
On the last day of the festival, May 10, the celebrations conclude with a solemn mass inside the cathedral dedicated to the saint, then followed by the procession "ashore" of the simulacrum: the imposing chariot adorned with holes, accompanied by the procession of the faithful and the band, crosses that characteristic streets of the Borgo Antico and after a stop at the Chiesa del Carmine returns to its usual abode.
Meanwhile, the night and the waters of the port spend with the impressive spectacle of fireworks.
To visit: the Aragonese Castle, Revolving Bridge, Hypogeum De Beaumont Bonelli Bellacicco, National Archaeological Museum, Ethnographic Museum, Old Town.
