Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
to emanate a miraculous manna liquid with special powers. For this reason - and because
he is also the patron saint of prisoners and children - the basilica remains an important
place of pilgrimage. The interior is huge and simple with a decorative 17th-century
wooden ceiling. The magnificent 13th-century ciborium over the altar is Puglia's oldest.
The shrine in the crypt, lit by hanging lamps, is beautiful.
Cathedral
CATHEDRAL
(Piazza dell'Odegitria; 8am-12.30pm & 4-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 8am-12.30pm & 5-8.30pm Sat & Sun)
Built over the original Byzantine church, the 11th-century Romanesque cathedral retains
its basilica plan - the plain walls punctuated with deep arcades - and the eastern window
is a tangle of plant and animal motifs. Recent
excavations
(
€1; 12.30-4pm Sun-Wed, Apr-
Oct)
have revealed an ancient Christian basilica with a substantial floor mosaic featuring
octopus, fish and plant motifs.
Piazza Mercantile
This beautiful piazza is fronted by the Sedile, the headquarters of Bari's Council of
Nobles. In the square's northeast corner is the
Colonna della Giustizia
(Column of Justice; Piazza
Mercantile)
, where debtors were once tied and whipped.
PIAZZA
Festivals
Festa di San Nicola
( 7-9 May)
The Festival of St Nicholas is Bari's biggest annual shindig, celebrating the
11th-century arrival of St Nicholas' relics from Turkey. On the first evening a procession
leaves Castello Svevo for the Basilica di San Nicola. The next day there's a deafening fly-
past and a fleet of boats carries the statue of St Nicholas along the coast. The evening -
and the next - ends with a massive fireworks display. It's a jolly, crowded family affair,
attended by many Russian visitors who come to view the relics.
RELIGIOUS
Sleeping
Most hotel accommodation here tends to be bland and overpriced, aimed at business cli-
entele: B&Bs are generally a better option.
