Ostuni

Today we are on an outing from Conversano to Ostuni, the White City of Puglia. We approached from the landward side. Had we gone  round to the seaward side (the sea is only 3 kilometers away) we would have had this more spectacular view.

 

We parked the car in a very quiet car park and found our way into the the not very imposing Porta Nova, which dates from the 15th century.

 

We began a leisurely upward climb along paths between whitewashed houses. Many had very elaborate stone door frames.

We emerged from a series of narrow paths into a square with the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta at its end. The Cathedral was built between 1435 and 1495 in the late Gothic style. The magnificent rose window has 24 finely carved ribs.

Looking back, we realised we had walked under the beautiful loggia of 1750 which links the Palazzo Vescovile and the Palazzo del Seminario.

 

We headed next to the interior of the church is XVIII century and has a level ceiling and Baroque side chapels.

We continued our wandering along more winding streets ...

... and then came on the Baroque church of Santa Maria Maddelena. It is now the Archaeological museum.

We headed down towards the main square ...

... but overall we felt it was too crowded by comparison with the quiet paths we had followed so far. I did rather like these arches however.