WITH THE FREE PATRONAGE OF
CARNEVALE DI PUTIGNANO
CHURCH OF SAN PIETRO APOSTOLO
Putignano - Tourism, history, food and wine, art and culture.
in the middle age
When Charlemagne died, in the Putignano land there were many Saracen raids (841-846), then the territory returned to Greek dominion (967), but the citizens joined Monopoli, Conversano and other neighboring lands for a rebellion, due to which they were almost destroyed. After the time of the monarchy the territory was bitterly disputed by different families, the Greeks took the field, the princes of Benevento, of Capua, of Salerno, and the Republics of Amalfi, Gaeta and Naples. But among the many litigants the Normans settled.
Roberto il Guiscardo was hit by Pope Nicholas II and was the first prince to desire many privileges for the city, several other cities in the surrounding area were shattered because of political struggles: Gnathia (Border town between Messapia and Peucezia) Barsento and Casaboli. The refugees moved to Putignano, families came from Gnathia: Mirizzi, Aprizzi, Amati, Paoli, Fanis, Resta and Pinti. From Casaboli the families moved: Belli, Cassoni, Pagliari, Pagliaruli, Arponi, Nardoni, while from barsento: Bianchi, Rizzi, Sabati, Stabili, Sipoli, Stasi.
Between 1086 and 1088 Goffredo d'Altavilla coonte of Conversano, nephew of Robert the Guiscard, cured of a dangerous illness, wanted to dissolve the vow made in Santo Stefano and had a church erected in his place in a place called Torre Paolo a 2 miles away from the sea of Monopoli. He invited the Cistercian Benedictine fathers and to continue and spread the cult of the Saint, he gave them many lands, including the Castle of Putignano. The deed of donation has never reached our times, but the monks had this agreement carved on a plaque still present behind the church altar, as a memorial to posterity. In this way a real struggle for supremacy was established for the territory between the Papacy, the Bishopric and the Abbots, all of whom were sided by as many distinct political powers.
The privileges of the Noble Castle were also approved by Frederick II who promised the construction of the University and another castle near Porta Maggiore or Porta Grande. In 1219, however, it was the Emperor himself who had the walls and the existing castle demolished due to the disobedience of the Putignanesi who, on the advice of the Benedictines, sided by the Pope, closed the doors, while he was about to enter the city, after a hunting party. .
While the city was being destroyed, Frederick II liked and wrote
"Marsupium non sanum dic tu Putineanumfalsa tibi praedicit, cum credibilia dicit
gioia, castrum carum, praedetur Putineanum"
Sacco rotto, chiama tu Putignano, ti dice il falso quando annuncia cose credibli, Gioia, Castello a me fedele, saccheggi Putignano
L'Imperatore era adirato con i putignanesi che credevano alle dicerie di scomunica e non riconoscevano la sua autorità.
Ma il suo segretario Pier delle Vigne, invece cerca di discolpare i Putignanesi, intravedendo un segnale alternativo, egli così scrive:
"Mancipium Romanum est castrum Putineanum
diva tibi praedicit, quando anathemata dicit,
Gioia, silva canum, absit vincat Putineanum"
Tenacemente ossequiente a Roma, è il castello di Putignano,
ti annunzia cose divine quando ti da l'anatema,
Gioia, selva dei cani, lungi sia che vinca Putignano.
This website project born from the idea of Gianni Musaio is enclosed in a team spirit and is the result of the collaboration of people, ordinary citizens, who care about the historical, cultural, artistic, geographical, food and wine heritage of the historic center of Putignano, a town in to live.
