In the heart of the Murgia plateau, Altamura has been inhabited since the dawn of time, as proved by the remains of "Ciccillo", the famous man from Altamura who lived over 150,000 years ago. The city was later re-founded by the Emperor Frederick II of Swabia. He repopulated it by convincing the inhabitants of the nearby countryside to move within the enormous protohistoric walls and built the imposing Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta with its unique two bell towers. Following the example of the French Revolution, Altamura proclaimed the Republic by erecting the Tree of Liberty in the central square in 1799. Later, it was heavily plundered by the Bourbon troops of Cardinal Ruffo.
The town was named "Lioness of Apulia" for the courage shown against the Bourbon kingdom. The city offers many historical and cultural insights, starting from the famous Pontrelli quarry, that follows the traces of dozens of dinosaurs that 80 million years ago walked along the current Murgia plateau.
Experience the ancient history of the city, starting from the Palaeolithic. Discover the rooms of the National Archaeological Museum and get lost in the ancient alleys and cloisters of the medieval village on the way to the majestic Federician Cathedral. Along the way, you'll constantly smell the scent of Altamura’s bread, famous all over the world.
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