Thiings to see in Grottaglie, city of colours, craftsmanship and creativity in the province of Taranto

Among the most enchanting villages in Apulia, Grottaglie, in the area of Taranto, deserves a special mention.
We are in the mountain area called Southern Murgia, where the landscape begins to gradually become more gentle and hilly.

Known for its ceramics, its craftsmanship and its exquisite grapes, Grottaglie reveals to the eyes of travelers as a territory characterized by art, colours, a somewhat « patchwork » charm.
Let’s see which hotspots not to be missed in your visit to Grottaglie.

 

 

The ceramics district of Grottaglie

Grottaglie is par excellence the city of ceramics.
This artisan tradition comes from the richness of clay in the soil, an asset from which the ancient natives took advantage to produce everyday utensils, the so-called « ceramiche d’uso » still produced today, together with other ornamental goods.

The ceramics district of Grottaglie extends along the ravine of San Giorgio, and is characterized by a constellation of laboratories and ceramics ovens in the rock of underground environments, which once were underground mills, typical in the south Apulia territory. rano dei frantoi, come tipico nella tradizione e nella storia pugliese.

The factories, the art and craft works that you will find in Grottaglie and in particular in this district are the most diverse, because over the years the alternation of generations of craftsmen has meant that the creative flair of the new generations experimented with new forms and products .
However, the most typical and historical Grottagliese ceramic products are the « Bianchi di Grottaglie » (white artifacts), i.e. rustic artifacts of popular tradition, with earth green, yellow ocher, blue and manganese colours.
Then there are the « Capasoni », containers for wine and, of course, the « Pumi », an ancient symbol of good luck shaped like pine cones.

Castello Episcopio & Ceramics Museum

To get to know the whole history of the ceramic art of Grottaglie, we strongly recommend a visit to the Castle of the archbishop, i.e. Castello Episcopio, where there is the Ceramic Museum, the largest permanent museum on the history and local ceramic art in Italy.

The castle itself is a hotspot to visit; imposing and important, it will accompany the view of the skyline for almost the entire time of your stay and visit in the center and the ceramics district.

Walk in the historic center of Grottaglie, among churches and ancient buildings

We know that Puglia is full of Villages whose historic centers are worth a visit; and Grottaglie is no exception; here we recommend you to go in search of the 15th century Baroque Noble Palaces: the most beautiful you will find are

Palazzo Pignatelli
Palazzo Blasi
Urselli Palace
Cicinelli Palace

Sacred art and architecture are also more than relevant in the panorama of Grottaglie.
One of these, from the mid-nineteenth century, was born from the layout of the birthplace of San Francesco De Geronimo; the Mother Church is also an important monument, which dates back to the 1300s and the Church of the Madonna del Carmine has another peculiarity: it is built on a cave with the remains of a fresco dedicated to the Madonna.

The artistic murals of Grottaglie

Also in the streets of the historic center you will find forms of modern art among the most loved by travellers, namely the Murals.
The murals of the historic center of Grottaglie blend strangely and unusually well with the older buildings, creating a very particular effect.
The murals mostly portray famous manga, anime and cartoons, but also famous people; these are works by the artist Paolo Carriere and are flanked and alternated with other masonry works by world-famous writers such as Blu, Aryz, Ericailcane.

Gravina del Fullonese

Located in the western part of the city, the Gravina at the foot of Mount Fellone, from which the name derives, the Gravina del Fullonese is a set of paths between rocks, caves, scents of Mediterranean scrub and edible herbs, which make this area great environmental and historical interest, thanks to the presence of traces of ancient settlements and a rock church dating back to the Middle Ages.

Further advice: plan a visit to the city of Taranto, capital of the province to which Grottaglie belongs, and its surroundings, such as in the beautiful town of  Maruggio.