Toritto
Hello everyone! Today I will talk about Toritto, a beautiful municipality in the metropolitan city of Bari in Apulia, Italy.
Physical geography
Toritto covers an area of about 75 km² and is located on the plateau of Murgia, within the national park of Alta Murgia. Here you can find many olive groves, almond orchards (perfect for the production of Sicilian almonds!) and even pastures called "Regie Difese," where sheep from Abruzzo spend winter. You might even come across an ancient trail that passes about 7km from the town towards the village of Quasano.
But that's not all, Toritto is also famous for its areas of limestone terrain, characterized by Karst phenomena. The Pulicchio di Toritto abyss and the San Martino cave are the places that attract tourists the most.
The mild climate and fertile soil allow the cultivation of olive, almond and grape vines, mostly for export.
History
The origins of the town date back to the Early Middle Ages, probably around the 9th century, although the first certain attestation dates back to 1069. In 1171, a document from the Archdiocese of Bari-Bitonto testifies to the presence of a parish.
The name of the town has an uncertain etymology: it could derive from the root of "torus" ("height") or from "tauretum" ("hill"). But there is also a very cute local legend that tells that the name was given in honor of a white bull.
There is also a curiosity about the recent history of the municipality: there was a proposal to merge the municipality of Toritto with those of Grumo Appula and Binetto to form a new municipality, but the project was eventually abandoned.
Symbols
The city coat of arms is very interesting. It was created in 1818, when the civic coat of arms was requested from each municipality of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Referring to the legend of the origin of the name, the image of a silver bull on a blue field was inserted, terraced in green. The historical coat of arms was recognized by the decree of the Head of Government Prime Minister Secretary of State of February 4, 1935, with the addition of the Lictor's Cap. Since 1957, the Lictor's Fasci was eliminated, and a silver band loaded with three six-pointed azure stars was added. The gonfalone, granted by royal decree of August 23, 1934, is a split flag of white and blue.
Monuments and places of interest
Toritto develops in a northeast-southwest direction along its main street, called Giuseppe Alberto Pugliese. The town is divided into two squares: the old square (Piazza Vittorio Emanuele III) and the new square (Piazza Roma, then Piazza Aldo Moro).
In the old square, you can admire the medieval "Palazzo marchesale" (or "Castello marchesale," attested since 1167) and the Clock Tower, with a small door on the Santa Maria road (now Umberto avenue), on whose front is carved in relief "1564." In the new square, instead, you will find a beautiful fountain dedicated to the fallen of the world wars.
But we are not finished! Toritto is also famous for its religious architectures, including the mother church of San Nicola, built in 1410 and restored in 2006. Since 1986, the church hosts the "Centro parrocchiale-oratorio San Nicola," with parish offices, halls and classrooms, and sports fields.
In short, if you feel like visiting a beautiful town rich in history and culture, Toritto is the right place for you!
