Citizen’s circle

At its entrance on the left-hand side, the first building that you come across in the citizen’s circle that bears the city’s crest in Ostuni mounted on the ducal crown. It is three towers positioned on three heraldic mounds.
The crest that was created was shared by all, and so was used for the completion of activities of public interest. Currently, the building is the renovation of a sixteenth-century building, which used to be the city’s decurionate.

Palazzo Ayroldi

The then-residence of Giovanni Zevallos, born of humble origins but gifted with the instinc of an able merchant. In a few years, he managed to amass such a large fortune that he became an “assistant” of the Court (he loaned his own money to the government). In 1639, having financed the puny coffers of the vice kingdom, and held jurisdiction over Ostuni, gaining the title of duke in 1644. The building stands out for its simple, elegant, classic style.

Palazzo Siccoda

An old building easily recognisable because of its rearward ground floor, where three beautiful Renaissance gates present Latin inscriptions that provides information about its construction. It takes its name from the Neapolitan merchant Giovan Battista Siccoda, who, in 1575, purchased it.

Piazza Sansone

Commonly called Piazza del Moro in the past, because of the enormous mulberry trees that used to be there. In this small square, a Corinthian capital used to show off those who had committed crimes to the people: the stocks.
At number 7 is the sculpture on the entrance door that depicts a skinned hare (or rabbit), which was, for years, confused with a skull. It indicates one of the many butcher shops in this square, which has also given it the nickname ‘Piazza delle Beccherie’.

The Church of San Vito Martire

It currently is home to the Museum of Preclassic Civilisation of the Southern Murgia.
It is a monastic complex, an amalgamation of living quarters, which, between 1735 and 1753, were acquired by the Prosecutor of Ostuni on behalf of the Carmelites. In the same year, bishop Cono Luchino del Verme gave the old medieval church of San Vito Martire to the monastery.
The front of the church presents the typical Rococo style. The inside has 5 altars of stone and two arches (also in rock), supported by two semi-arches with cherub heads.

Palazzo Incalzi

Immediately after the church of San Vito, the path went under Palazzo Incalzi, built in 1228 by Frederick II of Swarbia. It is one of the few things that remains from the Norman period in Ostuni.

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Our experiences in Apulia.
Find out more about the beautiful Ostuni here.