All SEE in Monopoli

Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, commonly known as Borgo, is the central square of Monopoli, and one of the largest in Apulia and Italy.   SHORT HISTORY OF PIAZZA VITTORIO EMANUELE II The square was created in 1796 at the behest of the King of Naples, and built following the project of the royal architect De Simone. In 1848, the square became the center of an anti-Bourbon conspiracy – the liberals of Monopoli promoted a conference of friends of freedom. On the morning of May 18, Borgo welcomed the conspiratorial congressmen, but they did not reach an agreement, the conspiracy failed and the conspirators were sentenced to many years of prison. A plaque commemorates the place where they met, located on the corner of Via Giuseppe Polignani. In 1872, the square was rearranged by the architect Losavio who, partially modifying De Simone’s original idea, opted for a garden-square arrangement. He divided it into two tree-lined rectangles. While it was necessary to wait until 1893 for the trees to grow, it was possible to immediately open, in the middle of the two rectangles, the road that continues Corso Umberto I. The war memorial stands in the southern rectangle of the square, the Read more [...]

Palazzo Martinelli-Meo Evoli is a palace built along the ancient walls of Monopoli, close to the Old Port of the city and the Castle of Charles V.   SHORT HISTORY OF PALAZZO MARTINELLI-MEO EVOLI The palace was owned, at first, by the Bandino family, then by the Carbonelli and Lentini families, and finally by the Martinelli family, who bought it at the end of the 18th century. The Martinellis were a wealthy family from Mola, relocated here in the second half of the 18th entury, attracted by the commercial opportunities offered by Monopoli.   ARCHITECTURE OF PALAZZO MARTINELLI-MEO EVOLI The building, on three levels, overlooks Porto Vecchio. The long facade has 18th-century windows, while the monumental entrance portal and the balconies on the first floor were built in the Neo-Gothic style around the mid-19th century. The loggia, built on a portico with three arches, produces a remarkable scenographic effect, overlooking the port with eight ogival arches in Neo-Gothic style, and a balcony with balustrade. Inside, beyond the wide entrance hall, there is a courtyard with a beautiful open staircase and an 18th-century loggia on three levels.   HOW TO GET TO PALAZZO MARTINELLI-MEO EVOLI Palazzo Martinelli is located about 1.3 Read more [...]

Porto Vechio (Old Port) is an ancient port in Monopoli, located at the northen limit of the historical center of the city. The port is the true home of the typical fishing boats called gozzi (or vozz, in the local dialect), almost 5 meters long, usually painted in bright red and blue. Porto Vecchio, with its red lighthouse, the Castle of Charles V, the beautiful Palazzo Martinelli-Meo Evoli and the typical colorful gozzi boats, is, by far, the most picturesque area of Monopoli.   SHORT HISTORY OF PORTO VECCHIO The history of the Old Port of Monopoli is lost in time and probably coincides with the history of the city itself. Archaeological excavations carried out between 1985 and 2011, have shown the existence of a Messapian city of the 6th century BC, equipped with fortifications overlooking the ancient port. The cove of the ancient port was protected from the winds and had an important natural basin, and it seems beyond doubt that this basin was the place from which the today’s city began to develop. Around the first century AD, the Roman city possessed a large gate with direct access to the quay area. The defensive structure is currently incorporated Read more [...]

Castello di Carlo V (Castle of Charles V) is a 16th century fortress in Monopoli, built during the Spanish domination of the city. The castle is located in the historical center of the city, on a promontory called Punta Pinna, near the Old Port of Monopoli.   SHORT HISTORY OF CASTELLO DI CARLO V The castle was built in the first half of the 16th century by the Emperor Charles V, as part of the coastal fortification system of the area. The works were carried out under the supervision of the Viceroy Don Pedro of Toledo or, according to other versions, under the Marquis Don Ferrante Loffredo, and were finished in 1552. In 1600, the fortress was enlarged and restructured, both on the outside and inside, transforming the castle from a purely defensive structure to a residential one. In the first half of the 19th century, the castle became a prison, which was abolished only in 1969. After it was abandoned for some time, the castle was consolidated in the 1990s, and is now used as a venue for important cultural events, such as painting and photography exhibitions.   ARCHITECTURE OF CASTELLO DI CARLO V The plan of the castle Read more [...]