The commune of Ostuni is in the province of Brindisi in the
upper part of the Salento area extending from the
shores of the Adriatic coast to the inland Murgian hills (altitude, 200-300 meters). An area of ancient
civilizations, it has been inhabited by human beings since the Paleolithic period, as reconfirmed by the recent
discovery of the fossil remains of a woman who died in childbirth more than 24,000 years ago and was buried in
the Grotta di S. M. di Agnan.
Also called the "Città Bianca" or
"Città Presepe" [White Town, Town of the Nativity] because the houses
are completely whitewashed right up to the roofs. Whitewash has been used here for buildings since the middle
ages both because it has always been easy to procure and because it allowed good reflection of light in the
otherwise dark narrow streets. In the 17th century the use of lime based whitewash helped counter the diffusion
of plague.
The ancient part of the city, perched on the highest hill, represents the valuable symbol of the city's picturesque
urban identity. Defined as Terra [land, earth] by the townspeople,
this old town is a labyrinth of alleys and
steps, a bewildering network of little white streets that meet under archways
and in little squares. At the very
top of the hill the Cathedral (one of the principal examples of
Apulian Romanesque architecture) and the Palazzo
Vescovile (Bishop's Palace) stand out against the sky. The Palazzo Municipale
, the churches of San Francesco,
S. Maria Maddalena and dell'Annunziata, and the sanctuaries of
Sant'Oronzo and San Biagio
also merit a visit,
as do the Contrada Lardagnano and the
Grotta Sant'Angelo.
The hill, consisting of white limestone covered with a thin layer of red earth, slopes down toward the sea in
broad fields of silvery leaved olive trees, terraces, wide hollows and caves. These 20 kilometers of coast that
continue to turn up traces of life from the distant past, the remains of ancient settlements and towers, are today
one of Apulia's main seaside tourist areas. In particular, there are numerous fully serviced beaches and tourist
villages in and around Villanova and
Marina di Ostuni.
At Ferragosto (in mid-August) the old town hosts the annual
Sagra dei Vecchi Tempi [Old Times Fair] which offers
tasty local dishes and the chance to see artisans practising trades that have practically disappeared.
