Otranto, Puglia (Nov 4, 2011) ©2011 Rebecca Dru Photography All Rights Reserved www.rebeccadru.com www.facebook.com/rebeccadruphotography www.twitter.com/rebeccadru www.flickr.com/rebeccadru Note: Otranto is located on the east coast of the Salento peninsula. The Strait of Otranto, to which the city gives its name, connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea.
Otranto, Puglia (Nov 4, 2011) ©2011 Rebecca Dru Photography All Rights Reserved www.rebeccadru.com www.facebook.com/rebeccadruphotography www.twitter.com/rebeccadru www.flickr.com/rebeccadru Note: Otranto is located on the east coast of the Salento peninsula. The Strait of Otranto, to which the city gives its name, connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea. The Cathedral, built on the ruins of a village Messapian, of a Roman domus and an early ChristianTemple, was founded in 1068 by Bishop William the Norman. It is a synthesis of diverse architectural styles including elements of Byzantine, Paleochristian and romanics. It was consecrated on 1 August 1088 during the papacy of Urban II by the papal legate Roffredo, Archbishop of Benevento . In August 1480, the Cathedral was the scene of a terrible carnage; the Turks captured the city after several days of siege and entered the church claiming the clergy and civilians who had taken refuge. It was converted into a mosque and destroyed all the frescoes dating back to the 13th century. In 1481, after the liberation of Rome by the troops of Alfonso V of Aragon, was heavily modified.
