Andria between Fortress, Cathedral and the Murgia Landscape

Andria brings together impressive buildings, religious sites, traditional crafts and the landscape of Alta Murgia. If you would like to combine culture and nature on your trip to Italy, you will find various points of interest here: from the octagonal fortress of Castel del Monte and the Cattedrale “Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo” to paths through grassland, pine forest and typical Murgia landscapes.

Castel del Monte and Andria’s buildings

Castel del Monte is an octagonal fortress in Andria, built by Federico II di Svevia in the 13th century and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The combination of its clear geometric form and medieval history makes the castle an important cultural landmark of the city. From Andria, Castel del Monte can be reached by municipal bus line 6. The bus runs from the bus terminal on Piazza Marinai d’Italia to Castel del Monte.

The Cattedrale “Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo” also offers an insight into Andria’s religious history. The Sacra Spina, traditionally believed to be part of Jesus’ crown of thorns, and the relics of San Riccardo, Bishop of Andria, are venerated there. The crypt contains the remains of Jolanda Di Brienne and Isabella d’Inghilterra, two wives of Federico II di Svevia. Together with the bell towers of the Chiesa di San Domenico and the Chiesa di San Francesco, the cathedral’s bell tower forms the symbol of Andria as the “Città dei tre campanili”.

Churches, exhibition spaces and local traditions

The Santuario di Santa Maria dei Miracoli consists of an upper basilica, the Cappella della Crocifissione and a grotto. The Holy Image of the Madonna dei Miracoli, the co-patron saint of Andria, is kept there. The historic center is also home to the Palazzo Ducale, a Renaissance building constructed in the 16th century. Today, it houses exhibition and cultural spaces.

Another cultural facet is represented by the Museo del Confetto “Giovanni Mucci”. It is located in the former premises of the historic factory and presents documents, tools, machines and moulds relating to the history of the Mucci family’s traditional confectionery craft in four sections. This means that Andria can be explored not only through its religious buildings and fortresses, but also through a specific local craft tradition.

Alta Murgia and paths through the landscape

12,000 hectares of Andria’s municipal area lie within the Parco Nazionale dell’Alta Murgia, established in 2004. The landscape includes the Lama di Santa Margherita, a site of landscape, archaeological and architectural importance with partly rare and unique, yet lush, vegetation. Several caves lie along its banks, including caves where the image of the Madonna dei Miracoli was found.

Route G of the Parco Nazionale dell’Alta Murgia runs through Mediterranean grassland and along unpaved paths through the pine forest around Castel del Monte to the entrance to the castle. Route H has a total length of 22 km. It begins at the rural church of Santa Lucia and follows low-traffic roads along the route of the old local postal roads through a typical Murgia landscape. Along the way, the paths pass small plots cultivated with olive and almond trees. These varied landscapes provide a concrete basis for weighing up cultural sites, paths and nature observation in Andria.

When choosing where to stay, you can therefore consider which themes should shape your trip: the fortress and historic buildings, the religious sites and museums, or the landscapes and routes of Alta Murgia. Andria offers a close combination of architecture, faith, regional crafts and rural surroundings.

More places for planning your trip: Adelfia, Altamura, Bitetto, Rutigliano, Corato, Alberobello, Capurso, Poggiorsini.

For the overview of the wider travel region: Bari.