A Walk Round Trani in Puglia. A Joyful Experience, Trani, Italy

I felt light-hearted as soon as I got out of the minibus in Piazza Mazzini in Trani, a coastal town in the Italian region of Puglia. The sun was shining and little white clouds scudded past the vacant windows of the gleaming white facade of the Church of San Luigi. Built in 1753 this pretty church was restored in 2004 and opened to the public as a cultural centre hosting conferences and small exhibitions. Close to this piazza on the sea front is the splendid Cathedral of Trani dedicated to Saint Nicholas of Pellegrino also known as Saint Nicholas the Pilgrim. According to legend Saint Nicolas originally came from the Greek monastery of San Luca in Focide. He had travelled through Greece and Dalmatia when he landed in Trani. He was so exhausted that he died aged only eighteen. After his death several miracles occurred and for this reason the archbishop of Byzantium proclaimed him to be a saint. It was then decided a church should be built in his honour on the ruins of the Church of Santa Maria della Scala. This impressive Romanesque Church dominates the seashore of Trani. It was built using the local tufa stone which develops a rosy glow at dawn and sunset. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).