
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:
Southern Italy. Lonely Planet.
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Puglia. Holiday & Leisure.
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Secret Puglia.
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ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE CARD:
FOUNDATION: VIII BC
SUNSET: VI AD
CIVILIAZATION: MESSAPIAN/ROMAN
REGION: Apulia
PROVINCE: Brindisi
MANAGEMENT: Municipality of Fasano
REDISCOVERY: XIX century
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.