Taranto
Discovering Taranto in a friendly way
The history and cultural heritage of Taranto
Hello friends, today I want to talk to you about Taranto, a wonderful city in the heart of Puglia, which you might consider as an interesting destination for your next vacation. Taranto has a very ancient and fascinating history and represents one of the most important cultural centers of Magna Graecia. The city was founded by the Spartans in the 8th century BC and was named Taras, becoming one of the main polis of Magna Graecia thanks to its strategic position, fertile land, and trade. Taranto gave birth to important intellectuals such as Archita, Aristoxenus, Livius Andronicus, Leonidas of Taranto, and Heraclides of Taranto, as well as athletes whose achievements became famous throughout the Greek world, such as Iccus and the so-called Athlete of Taranto.
Taranto through the centuries
Taranto was the last Magna Graecia city to fall following Rome's expansion and faced a tough battle in the so-called Pyrrhic Wars, a conflict that lasted 5 years. Despite being defeated, it continued to exercise an important cultural influence over the rest of Southern Italy and Rome itself.
In the Norman conquest of Southern Italy, Taranto became the capital of the Principality of Taranto and ruled over much of Salento for 377 years. Today, Taranto is known as the city of two seas and this peculiarity can be directly observed from the territory. Yes, you understood correctly: Taranto is divided into three parts: the old town or città vecchia, located on an island, connected from one end by a bridge called "Ponte di Pietra" which leads to the industrial district, and from the other end of the island, through the swing bridge, leads to "borgo Umbertino". In the Mar Grande, near the Cheradi Islands, just outside the city, a historic population of dolphins and other cetaceans live and prosper; in the Mar Piccolo, shellfish farming has been practiced for centuries and on a large scale, whose products are world-renowned for their uniqueness.
Taranto: between beauty and industry
Taranto is a city in continuous evolution and its economy supports an important industrial center, such as the Taranto Maritime Military Arsenal, one of the largest industrial complexes in Europe for steel production, and Ilva. However, this does not detract from the beauty of the city, which is full of wonderful places to visit. One of these places is the National Archaeological Museum of Taranto which is one of the most important museums in Italy and contains a huge amount of treasures and archaeological finds.
Conclusion
Dear friends, I hope you enjoyed this short virtual journey of discovery to the beautiful city of Taranto. A city that combines the ancient with the modern and represents a cultural and historical heritage of inestimable value. Taranto is an ideal tourist destination and if you decide to visit this city, I assure you that you will not be disappointed. Let yourself be conquered by the beauty of the city of two seas and its treasures. We are sure that you will take home a lot of memories and that you will take your friendship to the next level.
