Bari, Italy 27-28 May 2015
Academic networking and Bari attractions
BARI
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of
the Apulia (or, in Italian, Puglia) 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.
Between the heart of the Old Town and the sea
is Bari's most famous church, the eleventhcentury Romanesque Basilica di San Nicola. It
is dedicated to St. Nicholas, also known as
Santa Claus, and was specially built to house
his remains, which still lie in the crypt. This is
Pane e Pomodoro Beach
Basilica of Saint Nicholas
an
important religious destination, and not just for Catholics:
there is a chapel in the crypt dedicated to Orthodox
pilgrims.
Pane e Pomodoro Beach is the main beach within reach of
the city.
UNIVERSITY OF BARI ALDO MORO
The University of Bari was founded in 1925. It is a
state-supported university which is divided into 12
faculties. Each faculty has its own set of departments
that focus on the arts sciences, mathematics, social
sciences, literature, medicine, law, and education. The
University of Bari is one of the most prestigious
universities in Southern Italy and it is one of the University of Bari Rectorate - Palazzo Ateneo
largest universities in Italy, with a student population of around 60,000.
Salone degli Affreschi
Aula Magna
Staircase of Palazzo Ateneo
Bari, Italy 27-28 May 2015
Academic networking and Bari attractions
SASSI DI MATERA
The Sassi of Matera and their park, listed in the
UNESCO list, are an outstanding example of a rockcut
settlement,
adapted
perfectly
to
its
geomorphological setting and its ecosystem and
exhibiting
continuity over
more than two millennia. They represent an
outstanding example of a traditional human settlement
and land use showing the evolution of a culture that
has maintained over time a harmonious relationship
with its natural environment.
Matera on the edge of the ravine
The Matera region has been inhabited by man since the
Palaeolithic period. Permanent defended village
settlements grew up after the last Ice Age, based on
agriculture. Deforestation of the area led to serious
erosion and created problems of water management. The
gradual invasion of fields by garrigue and maquis led to
Church of San Pietro Caveoso
a change from agriculture to pastoral transhumance.
Matera's development was due to its geological setting. A
belt of soft tufo is located between 350 m and 400 m
above the valley bed, and this also contains two natural
depressions (grabialioni); in consequence, it was here that
the settlement grew up. The clay plateau above was
reserved for agriculture and pastoralism.
Neolithic caves on the other
side of the ravine
The advent of better tools with the Metal Ages made it
easier to dig into the soft calcareous tufo rocks exposed in
the gravine (gorges or canyons) and there is evidence from the Bronze Age of the creation of
underground cisterns and tombs, and in particular of underground dwellings opening out of a
Cave church Madonna de Idris
central
space
(jazzi).
The
excavated
tufo
blocks were used
for
the
construction
of
walls and towers.
This process was easiest on the sides of ravines, where the softer
strata of tufo were exposed.