Voices from the past

Brindisi is a very ancient town (its origins lie in the 11th century BC, when it was built and fortified by the Italic peoples of the Messapi), its fate tied into its peculiar geographical position, which makes it a natural bridge towards the East. The Romans turned it into an important port for their Empire, and from here important riches arrived and departed such as wine, prestigious oils, spices and other goods. Still from the sea arrived the threat of Saracen incursions. The Normans built churches and castles and so did Frederick II's Swabians. This is where the crusaders left from and, many centuries later, in the 19th century, here is where ships from London stopped over on their way to India, through the Suez canal, to the British colonies.
Today Brindisi maintains its identity as a port and European shore to the East, as well as many of its most representative monuments, which seem to project themselves into the sea. In front of the city there's the island of S. Andrea, with the Castello Alfonsino and the Forte a Mare. The Alfonsino castle (or Aragonese) was built in 1481 by the Duke of Calabria, Alfonso d'Aragona, and became "the red castle" for its enemies, because of the purplish colour it acquired at sunset through the stone it was built with. To make the port safer, in 1558 it was completed with a colossal fortress, Forte a Mare, which still stands towering next to the Castle today.
Venturing into the historical centre there are squares of incredible beauty. From Piazza Duomo, with the Cathedral, the Seminario, the Archaeological Museum to Piazza delle Anime, Piazza del Mercato, and the 19th century Piazza Cairoli.

Don't miss...

If you're visiting Brindisi you cannot neglect the surrounding territory, one of the most beautiful areas in Italy. A frontier land, the province of Brindisi has always served as a uniting element between northern and southern Puglia, subjected to various migratory flows: consider that the 20 municipalities of the province each have their own dialect, differing for inflection and glossary from that of another town, even just a few kilometres away. The coast is rich with little enclosures alternating with long sandy or rocky beaches; among the villages, white Ostuni stands out for its beauty.

Events

The land of Brindisi is rich with traditions and religious celebrations, which are still very heartfelt by the people. Among the most famous events, the procession of the Cavallo Parato for the Corpus Domini, when the Bishop leads the procession of the Sacrament along the main city roads, riding a white bedecked horse. The festival is of medieval origin (1264) and is the only one of its kind.