Bitonto
Encyclopedia
Bitonto is a city and comune
in the province of Bari
(Apulia
region), Italy
. It is nicknamed the "City of Olives" due to the numerous olive groves surrounding the city.
, near the coast of the Adriatic Sea
. The communes next to Bitonto are: Bari
, Bitetto
, Palo del Colle
, Altamura
, Toritto
, Ruvo di Puglia
, Terlizzi
, and Giovinazzo
.
, and its inhabitants referred to by the Greek settlers of the region as Butontinoi, an ethnonym of uncertain derivation According to one tradition, the city was named after Botone, an Illyrian
king. Its first city wall can be dated to the fifth to fourth centuries BC; traces remain in the foundations of the Norman walling.
Similarities of coinage suggest that Bitonto was under the hegemony of Spartan Tarentum
, but bearing the numismatic legend BITONTINON. Later, having been a Roman ally in the Samnite Wars
, the civitas Butuntinenses became a Roman
municipium
, preserving its former laws and self-government and venerating its divine protectress, whom the Romans identified by interpretatio romana as Minerva
; the site sacred to her is occupied by the Church of San Pietro in Vincoli. As a city of the Late Roman Empire, Bitonto figures in the Liber Colonis of Frontinus, in the Antonine Itinerary
and other Imperial itineraries, and the Tabula Peutingeriana
, a post where fresh horses were to be had for travellers on the via Traiana
for Brundisium
.
The foundations of a Paleochristian basilica came to light in excavations beneath the cathedral's crypt, but no written evidence survives of an established diocese in the Early Middle Ages
. Though there is no evidence that a Lombard gastaldo had his seat at Bitonto, Lombard customs and law insinuated themselves deeply in local social fabric.
During the ninth century, Bitonto successfully withstood a Saracen raid, in which the besiegers' leader was killed beneath the city's walls Bitonto took part in the revolt of Melus of Bari
in 1009.
In the Middle Ages Bitonto was a fief of several baronial families, before it passed permanently in the thirteenth century to the Acquaviva, who took their name from their stronghold at Acquaviva delle Fonti
: The Acquaviva were later dukes of Atri, and their minor signory of Bitonto was raised to a marquisate in 1464 by the King of Naples, Ferrante di Aragona in favour of Giovanni Antonio Acquaviva;
on his premature death it passed to his brother, the successful and cultivated condottiero Andrea Matteo Acquaviva
, who exchanged it in 1487 for the marquessate of Ugento, which he subsequently lost. In 1552 the citizens paid for the city's freedom the considerable sum of 66,000 ducat
s.
In 1734, during the War of Polish Succession, the Spanish army under Charles of Bourbon
and the Duke of Montemar defeated the Austrians under Giuseppe Antonio, Prince of Belmonte at the Battle of Bitonto
, thus securing possession of the Kingdom of Naples
for the Bourbons
.
The main landmarks include:
, which is exported to America and elsewhere in Europe. The city also produces wine, beer, cereals, almonds, and textiles.
Recently, Bitonto has also become a popular tourist destination.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in the province of Bari
Province of Bari
The Province of Bari is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Bari.It has an area of 5,138 km², and a total population of 1,594,109 . There are 48 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Bari...
(Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
region), Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is nicknamed the "City of Olives" due to the numerous olive groves surrounding the city.
Geography
Bitonto lies approximately 11 km (6.8 mi) to the west of the city of BariBari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, near the coast of the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
. The communes next to Bitonto are: Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, Bitetto
Bitetto
-Main sights:The main attraction of Bitetto is the Cathedral, one of the main examples of Apulian Romanesque architecture, built in 1335. It has a sober façade divided by false columns with a big rose window...
, Palo del Colle
Palo del Colle
Palo del Colle is a town and comune in the province of Bari, Puglia, Italy.-History:The town of Palo del Colle is located about 15 km inland from the city of Bari. It is situated on a hill [hence the name "Pole on the Hill"] 177meters above sea level and covers 100 km2 in area. The...
, Altamura
Altamura
Altamura is a town and comune of Apulia, southern Italy. It is located on the Murge plateau in the province of Bari, 45 km South-West of Bari, close to the border with Basilicata. As of 2011 its population was of 69,728.-Overview:...
, Toritto
Toritto
Toritto is a town and comune in the province of Bari, Puglia, Italy.It lies in an agricultural area, with cultivation of mainly almond and olive trees.-History:...
, Ruvo di Puglia
Ruvo di Puglia
Ruvo di Puglia is a town and comune in the province of Bari, Puglia, Italy that is essentially devoted to agriculture, wine and olive growing. It is part of the Murge karst landscape.-Geography and territory:...
, Terlizzi
Terlizzi
Terlizzi is a town and comune in Apulia, Italy, in the province of Bari, to the west of the city of Bari, situated in the midst of a fertile plain. As of 2008, its population was some 27,400.-History:...
, and Giovinazzo
Giovinazzo
Giovinazzo is a port city situated on the Adriatic coast in the region of Apulia, southern Italy. Giovinazzo lies 18 km WNW of the provincial capital of Bari, and is adjacent to the city ofMolfetta.-History:...
.
History
The city was founded by the PeucetiiPeucetii
The Peucetii were a tribe who were living in Apulia, southern Italy, in the country behind Barion...
, and its inhabitants referred to by the Greek settlers of the region as Butontinoi, an ethnonym of uncertain derivation According to one tradition, the city was named after Botone, an Illyrian
Illyrians
The Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited part of the western Balkans in antiquity and the south-eastern coasts of the Italian peninsula...
king. Its first city wall can be dated to the fifth to fourth centuries BC; traces remain in the foundations of the Norman walling.
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
, but bearing the numismatic legend BITONTINON. Later, having been a Roman ally in the Samnite Wars
Samnite Wars
The First, Second, and Third Samnite Wars, between the early Roman Republic and the tribes of Samnium, extended over half a century, involving almost all the states of Italy, and ended in Roman domination of the Samnites...
, the civitas Butuntinenses became a Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
municipium
Municipium
Municipium , the prototype of English municipality, was the Latin term for a town or city. Etymologically the municipium was a social contract between municipes, the "duty holders," or citizens of the town. The duties, or munera, were a communal obligation assumed by the municipes in exchange for...
, preserving its former laws and self-government and venerating its divine protectress, whom the Romans identified by interpretatio romana as Minerva
Minerva
Minerva was the Roman goddess whom Romans from the 2nd century BC onwards equated with the Greek goddess Athena. She was the virgin goddess of poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving, crafts, magic...
; the site sacred to her is occupied by the Church of San Pietro in Vincoli. As a city of the Late Roman Empire, Bitonto figures in the Liber Colonis of Frontinus, in the Antonine Itinerary
Antonine Itinerary
The Antonine Itinerary is a register of the stations and distances along the various roads of the Roman empire, containing directions how to get from one Roman settlement to another...
and other Imperial itineraries, and the Tabula Peutingeriana
Tabula Peutingeriana
The Tabula Peutingeriana is an itinerarium showing the cursus publicus, the road network in the Roman Empire. The original map of which this is a unique copy was last revised in the fourth or early fifth century. It covers Europe, parts of Asia and North Africa...
, a post where fresh horses were to be had for travellers on the via Traiana
Via Traiana
300px|thumb|Via TraianaThe Via Traiana was an ancient Roman road. It was built by the emperor Trajan as an extension of the Via Appia from Beneventum, reaching Brundisium by a shorter route...
for Brundisium
Brindisi
Brindisi is a city in the Apulia region of Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, off the coast of the Adriatic Sea.Historically, the city has played an important role in commerce and culture, due to its position on the Italian Peninsula and its natural port on the Adriatic Sea. The city...
.
The foundations of a Paleochristian basilica came to light in excavations beneath the cathedral's crypt, but no written evidence survives of an established diocese in the Early Middle Ages
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
. Though there is no evidence that a Lombard gastaldo had his seat at Bitonto, Lombard customs and law insinuated themselves deeply in local social fabric.
During the ninth century, Bitonto successfully withstood a Saracen raid, in which the besiegers' leader was killed beneath the city's walls Bitonto took part in the revolt of Melus of Bari
Melus of Bari
Melus was a Lombard nobleman from the Apulian town of Bari, whose ambition to carve for himself an autonomous territory from the Byzantine catapanate of Italy in the early 11th century inadvertently sparked the Norman presence in southern Italy.Melus and his brother-in-law Dattus rebelled in 1009...
in 1009.
In the Middle Ages Bitonto was a fief of several baronial families, before it passed permanently in the thirteenth century to the Acquaviva, who took their name from their stronghold at Acquaviva delle Fonti
Acquaviva delle Fonti
Acquaviva delle Fonti is a town and comune in the province of Bari, Apulia, southern Italy.-Buildings:Acquaviva Cathedral is located here, since 1986 a co-cathedral in the Diocese of Altamura-Gravina-Acquaviva delle Fonti.-Famous people from Acquaviva delle Fonti:*Roberto Colaninno,...
: The Acquaviva were later dukes of Atri, and their minor signory of Bitonto was raised to a marquisate in 1464 by the King of Naples, Ferrante di Aragona in favour of Giovanni Antonio Acquaviva;
on his premature death it passed to his brother, the successful and cultivated condottiero Andrea Matteo Acquaviva
Andrea Matteo Acquaviva
Andrea Matteo Acquaviva, 8th Duca d'Atri was an Italian nobleman and condottiero from the Kingdom of Naples, who distinguished himself as a partisan of the French. He was made prisoner by Consalvo of Cordova and carried into Spain; but his confinement was not long, and on his return to Naples he...
, who exchanged it in 1487 for the marquessate of Ugento, which he subsequently lost. In 1552 the citizens paid for the city's freedom the considerable sum of 66,000 ducat
Ducat
The ducat is a gold coin that was used as a trade coin throughout Europe before World War I. Its weight is 3.4909 grams of .986 gold, which is 0.1107 troy ounce, actual gold weight...
s.
In 1734, during the War of Polish Succession, the Spanish army under Charles of Bourbon
Charles III of Spain
Charles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to 1788. He was the eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, the Princess Elisabeth Farnese...
and the Duke of Montemar defeated the Austrians under Giuseppe Antonio, Prince of Belmonte at the Battle of Bitonto
Battle of Bitonto
The Battle of Bitonto was a Spanish victory over Austrian forces near Bitonto in the Kingdom of Naples in the War of Polish Succession...
, thus securing possession of the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
for the Bourbons
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
.
Main sights
The city includes a medieval burg and a modern area.- The Castle and the walls.
- The Romanesque Bitonto CathedralBitonto CathedralBitonto Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Bitonto in the Province of Bari, Italy.-History:...
(Cattedrale di S. Valentino), built in the 11th-12th centuries and influenced by the Basilica of San Nicola in BariBariBari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
. The west façade is divided in three parts and has three portals, the central one sculpted with vegetables motifs and scenes from the Old Testament, four mullioned windows and a rose windowRose windowA Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
flanked by sculptures of animals supported by small columns. The interior has a nave and two aisles: the main artwork is the marble ambo (1229), a masterwork of medieval Apulian sculpture. - The Basilica of SS Cosma e DamianoSaints Cosmas and DamianSaints Cosmas and Damian were twin brothers, physicians, and early Christian martyrs born in Cilicia, part of today's Turkey. They practiced their profession in the seaport of Ayas, Adana, then in the Roman province of Syria...
. - The church of San Francesco (12th century). It was built in 1283 over a pre-existing Roman fortification, to celebrate the 1222 visit of St. Francis of Assisi. It has kept the original late-Romanesque façade, flanked by a 16th century bell tower. The portal has figures of bovine animals, probably an allusion to the founder family of the church, BoveHouse of BoveThe House of Bove is an ancient noble patrician family of Ravello, Maritime Republic of Amalfi that held royal appointments in the Kingdom of Naples, and presided over feudal territories. After the dissolution of noble seats of the Kingdom of Naples in 1800 they were ascribed in the Libro d'Oro of...
. It is surmounted by a triple mullioned window. The interior has some frescoes and 16th century altars. - The church of San Gaetano.
- The church of San Domenico.
- The church of Santa Caterina.
- The Sylos-Labini Palace.
- The Bove Palace.
- The Late Renaissance Sylos Vulpano Palace.
Famous natives
- Gaetano Caffarelli, opera singer
- Nicola Bonifacio Logroscino, musician
- Carlo Rosa, painter
- Gennaro RubinoGennaro RubinoGennaro Rubino was an Italian anarchist who unsuccessfully tried to assassinate King Leopold II of Belgium.-Early life:Rubino was born in Bitonto, during the period of Italian unification...
, unsuccessful assassin of King Leopold IILeopold II of BelgiumLeopold II was the second king of the Belgians. Born in Brussels the second son of Leopold I and Louise-Marie of Orléans, he succeeded his father to the throne on 17 December 1865 and remained king until his death.Leopold is chiefly remembered as the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free...
of BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... - Tommaso TraettaTommaso TraettaTommaso Michele Francesco Saverio Traetta was an Italian composer.-Biography:Traetta was born in Bitonto, a town near Bari, near the top of the heel of the boot of Italy. He eventually became a pupil of the composer, singer and teacher Nicola Porpora in Naples, and scored a first success with his...
, musician and reformer of the Baroque Opera - Vitale GiordanoVitale GiordanoGiordano Vitale or Vitale Giordano was an Italian mathematician. He is best known for his theorem on Saccheri quadrilaterals. He is also referred to as Vitale Giordani, Vitale Giordano da Bitonto, and simply Giordano.-Life:Giordano was born in Bitonto, in southeastern Italy, probably on October...
, mathematician - Bianca GuacceroBianca GuacceroBianca Guaccero , is an Italian cinema, theatre, and television actress.In February 2010, she resumed her notable role of Carolina Scapece in the Rai Uno mini-series Capri 3. She had played the same part of the conniving Caroline in the first and second Capri series...
, actress
Economy
Bitonto is well known for its production of extra virgin olive oilOlive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
, which is exported to America and elsewhere in Europe. The city also produces wine, beer, cereals, almonds, and textiles.
Recently, Bitonto has also become a popular tourist destination.