The city of Trani in Puglia overlooks the Adriatic sea and, with its 53000 inhabitants, it follows today its aspiration to be like a bridge between Europe and the Mediterranean sea. Its long old history has been characterized from a series of dominants. It was born like Roman site of transit towards Greece, it knew the barbaric occupations, above all longobards, the arrival of the Normans and the Swabians.
The city, as all the Puglia, was loved by FedericoII of Swabia, whose permanence is testfied by ” the castle “. Federico II favoured the expansion of the Jewish community present in the city, probably, some persecutions in action in Spain.
The Jewish ghetto, stands disorderly at shoulder of much ancient wall, knew between the ‘200 and the ‘400 a hard growth evidenced by foursynagogues present in historic centre.
The Spanish domination changed the city from community of shopkeepers and navigators in a centre of juridical studies, creating a tradition that lasts still today.
Trani is also known as the city of ” the houndred churchs”, where there is the roman cathedral famous all over the world. With the churchs, the squares and the monuments, we love to remember the ” villa “, a peculiar example in Italy of a nineteenth – century public garden with beautiful views on the sea.
