Discover Casamassima: History, Nature and Local Culture

Historic Center and Local Symbols

In Casamassima’s medieval Borgo, winding streets run around courtyards and lead to dead ends. These dead ends are called Chiassi. The Torre dell’Orologio overlooks Casamassima’s main square in the historic center. The Castello of Casamassima is an ancient aristocratic palace in the historic center.

Churches with a Long Building History

The Chiesa del Santo Rosario was built in 1535 in honor of Saints Rocco and Sebastiano. Its two-story façade has a stone covering and gives the building a clearly recognizable architectural profile. The Chiesa Santa Croce is also known as Chiesa Madre and is a Romanesque church in Casamassima’s Borgo Antico, dating back to 1321.

Art, Crypt and Archaeological Traces

The Chiesa Santa Croce houses a Madonna and Child from the 16th century, attributed to Stefano da Putignano. During restoration work at the Chiesa Santa Croce, an ancient burial ground was discovered in 1996–97. The Chiesa Santa Maria delle Grazie was built in 1575 and enlarged in 1837. Its crypt has arches and columns, a majolica floor and colorful geometric decorations.

Museum, Library and Historic Buildings

The Complesso delle Monacelle houses the Museo Civico. The Biblioteca Comunale in Palazzo Monacelle contains approximately 10,000 volumes. The Chiesa del Purgatorio is a remarkable building in Casamassima’s historic center. Together, these places offer different perspectives on architecture, art, urban history and local education.

Cimitero Polacco Korpusu

The Cimitero Polacco Korpusu is one of four Polish cemeteries in Italy. It contains 431 stone graves arranged in orderly rows typical of Anglo-Saxon cemeteries. The grave markers are Christian, Orthodox, Muslim and Jewish. Every year on November 2, a commemorative ceremony is held at the Cimitero Polacco Korpusu for the Polish soldiers who fell in the Second World War.

Festival Culture in Casamassima

The Pentolaccia Casamassimese is a traditional carnival event featuring allegorical floats, performances by masked groups and the opening of the Pentolaccia. Since 2016, it has been part of the Carnevali Storici d’Italia. Alongside the historic buildings, this offers you another perspective on Casamassima: the town can also be viewed through its festive tradition and the annual commemorative ceremony.

Nature and Agriculture

The Marcedde woodland is a ten-hectare Mediterranean maquis along the Lama San Giorgio and consists mainly of downy oaks and Turkey oaks. In the Casamassima area, agriculture mainly comprises olive groves, almond groves, cherry orchards and vineyards for table grapes. These facts make the landscape just as relevant as the historic sites when incorporating culture and the area’s rural character into your travel considerations.

Getting There and Accommodation Location

Casamassima is crossed by the Statale 100 and the Statale 172 and is connected to the nearby A14 motorway via the local road network. When selecting a hotel in Casamassima, you can base your decision on the focus of your plans: the historic center, the churches, the Cimitero Polacco Korpusu, the Marcedde woodland or the road connections.

More Places for Your Travel Planning

If you would like to include additional places besides Casamassima, you can also include Cozze, Modugno, Molfetta, Alberobello, Triggianello, Acquaviva Delle Fonti, Gorgofreddo and Triggiano in your further travel planning.

For the overarching travel overview: Bari.