Villa Comunale

Villa Comunale is the largest public park in Trani, located in the eastern part of the town’s harbour.

The park is a green oasis which offers locals and visitors a refreshing escape from the bustling town.

Known for its scenic views and diverse plant life, Villa Comunale is widely considered one of the most enchanting parks in southern Italy.

SHORT HISTORY OF VILLA COMUNALE

Villa Comunale was inaugurated in 1824, and subsequently expanded thanks to the reclamation of the land immediately to the south, on the coast, in the area called Canneto.

It was listed among the most beautiful public gardens in southern Italy in the 1937 edition of the Treccani Encyclopedia.

On the central avenue of the park, located in front of the main entrance, there is the war memorial, sculpted in 1923 by Antonio Bassi.

Walking along the avenue you come across a 19th-century chalet, home to exhibitions and cultural initiatives curated by local artists, and a bandstand, built in 1888 and recently restored and made functional again.

In the avenues on the right are collected six milestones of the ancient Via Traiana, coming from the Ruvo-Canosa section.

Villa Comunale (the war memorial)

DESCRIPTION OF VILLA COMUNALE

Villa Comunale extends over a terrace overlooking the sea, surrounded by the bastions of the ancient fortifications of the town.

The position of the park offers, on the south side, a splendid panoramic view of the seafront up to the Monastery of Santa Maria di Colonna.

From the north side, one can access Fortino di Sant’Antonio, from which you can enjoy the view of the entire inlet of the harbour and the Cathedral of San Nicola Pellegrino.

The area is planted with palm trees, holm oaks and pines, and is embellished with flowerbeds and fountains.

In the southern part, inside a tunnel that descends to the level of the ancient walls, there is an aquarium containing 18 tanks enhanced with Trani stone that house about five hundred fish of many species and ornamental aquatic plants.

The central avenue of the park runs almost entirely parallel to the coastline and is about 350 meters long.

HOW TO GET TO VILLA COMUNALE

Villa Comunale is located about 800 meters away from the Trani railway station.

From the station, one can go straight on Via Cavour to Piazza Plebiscito, where the main entrance to Villa Comunale is found.