Gravina in Puglia, the village where Benedict XIII was born

Gravina in Puglia, one of Italy's most beautiful villages, owes its name to the gravine, deep karstic fissures similar to canyons. The town's banner bears the motto “Grana dat et vina,” attributed to Frederick II of Swabia. Its thousand-year history began in the Paleolithic era, with settlements established in the Neolithic era at Casa S. Paolo and Ciccotto. The districts of Botromagno, S. Paolo, and Vagnari preserve traces of ancient civilizations, from the Peuceti to the Greeks, up to the Roman municipium touched by the Via Appia. In the Middle Ages, it was a county, marquisate, and duchy, ruled by families such as the Aleramici, De Say, and Orsini. Gravina also boasts links with the Templar and Gerosolimitan monks, and among its illustrious sons is Pope Benedict XIII. The city is a symbol of Italian patriotism and history.

The beauty of the village

The village of Gravina in Puglia stands out for its charming medieval districts of Piaggio and Fondovito, built on limestone subsoil. Here, construction was based on the practice of “subtraction and addition of material,” giving rise to underground spaces such as cellars, tunnels, rock churches, and tombs, unique underground passages to explore. Crossing the 18th-century Aqueduct Bridge, the scenery of the districts, dominated by the Cathedral of S. Maria Assunta, appears as a natural extension of the ravine. Strolling through the narrow alleys of the village, visitors are greeted by a backdrop of old tuff houses flanked by stairways and small squares, which frame the charming image of the village. When talking about the beauty of the village, we cannot forget those located at the end of the Fondovito district: the rock church of St. Michael of the Caves, the Finia Library, the church of St. Mary of Suffrage, the Four Fountains, the church of St. Sophia, the Cavato S. Marco, and the rock church of St. Mary of the Tombs.

Events in Gravina

The Fiera di San Giorgio, held at the end of April, boasts over 730 years of history as a major agricultural and cultural event. At Easter, the historic center becomes the stage for the Passio Christi, with hundreds of participants reenacting the last hours of Jesus in an atmosphere of intense sacredness. In September, the Raduno Multiepoca Historia offers a journey from ancient Rome to the contemporary age. At Christmas, with Gravinae Nativitas, the Fondovito district is transformed into a living nativity scene of evocative beauty.

photo credits essevu