Gnatia

egnazia

Archaeological park of Gnatia is one of the most significant site in the whole region of Apulia. It's on the beautiful coastline between Monopoli and Savelletri which contains evidence dating from  the Bronze Age and Middle Ages.

Indice

History

Two main authors as Pliny and Orazio reported the city  of Gnathia as a main trading center thanks to the port and Via Traiana.

The city has been inhabited since the XV century BC and then occupied in the Bronze Age by Iapyges came to Italian peninsulae from the Balkan region. In the VIII century BC it occurred the Messapian phase and finally the city was conquered by Romans.

Ruins of Gnatia

Once in the park you can stare at the monuments and houses dating  both from Roman and Late Roman periods like the cyclopic defensive walls with a northern pillar of 20 feet. Just outside fortifications there's  the Messapian necropolis with pit graves, semi-chamber and chamber tombs decorated with fine frescoes.

Running between ruins of the most important public buildings it's the ancient Via Traiana on which the wheel grooves left by carts are still visible. Typical Roman monuments  were found here as well: the Forum, Amphitheater, Cryptoporticus and the Kiln. And finally a large Paleochristian complex with Basilica and Baptisterum.

From the top of a hill in front of the sea the acropolis looks all over the city. From here the visitor can stare at an amizing view!

The most of relics are collected in the Museum near the Messapian necropolis.

Imagine Copyright: By Fradeve11 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

Opening Hours

1-31 March: 8.30am to 5.30pm

April - September: 8.30am to 7.15pm

1-31 Oct: 8.30am to 6pm

Nov - Feb: 8.30am to 4.30pm

Museum opens at 8.30am and closes at 7.30pm (ticket office closes at 6.30 pm)

Tickets

Ticket price (cumulative ticket Museum+Park): Full €6 - Reduced €3 (people between 18 and 25 years old only)

Free entry under 18 on the first Sunday of every month.

Contacts

USEFUL LINKS:

Egnazia

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE CARD:

FOUNDATION: VIII BC

SUNSET: VI AD

CIVILIAZATION: MESSAPIAN/ROMAN

REGION: Apulia

PROVINCE: Brindisi

MANAGEMENT: Municipality of Fasano

REDISCOVERY: XIX century

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Getting there

BY TRAIN

The nearest rail station is Fasano. It's about 8 Km to the archaeological site.

BY CAR

Take SS379 and then take exit Fasano-Savelletri  (in the Brindisi province). Entrance is on the litoranea  (coastal road) Monopoli-Savelletri.