Living a passion it's like breathing to me: you can't help it! I love to travel and taking photos and to transmit through them every emotion that I've experienced in seeing place that have a lot to say!
With this post I will therefore continue my journey through the many medieval villages in the province of Bari in the most authentic and unspoilt Apulia region (in the south of Italy). To do it as well as possible, I took advantage of a morning off and of a very beautiful day from the meteorological point of view. I will not hide from you that I've been keeping my photo backpack and I got everything I need in it.
If we talk about tradition, it's impossible not to talk about Rutigliano! This small town of just over 16 thousand inhabitants has a long historical tradition in the artisan manufacture of the terra-cotta and of the whistles in particular. Every year a Terra-cotta Whistle Festival is hosted in the town and during this event hundreds of thousands of visitors come to Rutigliano!
On that occasion there is also a competition at which the most beautiful whistle of the year be rewarded... a folk show really appreciated by visitors!
In my opinion, the most beautiful way to get in touch with this small village was to start walking through the narrow streets of the beautiful old town in which I perceived the historical importance of this place. The origin of Rutigliano is certainly dating back to the Middle Ages, the time in history when agricultural populations moved from countryside towards the emerging villages built around an important place, often represented by a Basilica or an important Church but also a Civil Power.
Rutigliano confirms this historical evidence; it is in a panoramic position on a hill to dominate the surrounding territory and its historic center was built around the mother Church of Santa Maria della Colonna and San Nicola (whom I shall speak to you in a next post).
In the village there are many historical palaces of which it is impossible not to notice the extraordinary beauty of the exteriors and that belonged to prominent and influential families who have been alternating over the centuries. In an alley behind the mother Church I stumbled upon what I then I found out was Antonelli Palace.
If you are passionate about architecture, especially that dating back to the late Renaissance period, Antonelli Palace is an unmissable stop during a visit to Rutigliano. I admit that I took a lot photos (many more than I have published in this post) because it absolutely fascinated me! It is characterized by a central block with a loggia consisting of three arcades on mullions with corinthian capitals adorned with figures and decorated with puttoes. You know, the facade is really remarkable and it's a worthy example how undervalued this village is from the touristic point of view.
Of course, Antonelli Palace is not the only example of a building inhabited by upper middle class of Rutigliano because scattered throughout the old town you can admire many others. And in fact, continuing along the alley where I had admired Antonelli Palace, I’ve come to a pedestrian zone in which Catapano Palace caught my eye.