Le Bellezze di Manfredonia

Manfredonia is situated in the “Tavoliere di Puglia”.

Sipontum, also named “Town of cuttlefish” , was founded by a mythic Deus Diomede or by Dauni who, coming from Illyria, brought here the stones of Troy in order to erect a new town.

Even if Siponto was destroyed because of frequent earthquakes, pilgrims who travelled to Rome or Terrasanta, continued to relax here. In fact, before arriving in “Grotta dell’ Angelo”, they stopped in the Church of Saint Leonard, built in the first time of 1200.

Manfredi began the construction of new Siponto near the old town . The old Siponto was made uninhabitable by different earthquakes in the area, so Manfredi, in 1263, decreed the transfer of inhabitants in the new town. But, because of the death of King happened in Benevento, the Angevins reduced the perspectives of Manfredi.

All the history of Manfredonia and its ancestress Siponto is tied with a long succession of violence: Goti, Bizantini, Longobardi, Saraceni, the Normans, the Angevins, the Hungarians, Aragonesi, and the French. The most bloody defeated was made by Turks in 1620.

The Cathedral is dedicated to the bishop of Siponto, Saint Laurence Maiorano. The construction of the church of San Domenico is just a superimposition of style.

The most famous streets in Manfredonia are “via san Lorenzo”, “via Maddalena”, Diomede beach and the arc named “Boccolicchio”.

In February, the town shows its folkloristic manifestation with its “Carnevale Dauno”, during which masked group, allegorical carts take place in.

The city receives concerts and every kind of events.

Places to see:

– Swabian Angevin castle

– Cathedral and the bell-tower

– Fountain “Piscitelli”

– Church of San Domenico and the place of “Mercato”

– Palazzo Celestini

– Basle of Saint Leonard

– Basle of Santa Maria Maggiore in Siponto

– The remains of the old Sipontum