Trani - Monastero di Santa Maria di Colonna

Trani may have been founded by Greek settlers, but the known history starts late. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was dominated by Lombards, Byzantines, Saracens and again Byzantines. With the conquest of southern Italy by the Normans and after 50 days of siege by Robert Guiscard´s troops, Trani became part of the Norman Empire in 1073.

Already under the Byzantines, Trani had become an important port for trade with the Orient. The heyday was in the time of the crusades in the 12th and 13th centuries, when crusaders and merchants mainly went to the Holy Land from Bari and Trani. It became an episcopal see in place of Canosa, destroyed by the Saracens. Frederick II built a massive castle. Under his rule, the city reached its highest point of wealth and prosperity.

The "Monastero di Santa Maria di Colonna" is located on a peninsula about two km south of Trani. According to tradition, the monastery was founded in the early 11th century by the Norman Goffredo Siniscalco, The construction of the Romanesque church and the monastery buildings started probably in the first decade of the 12th century. Benedictine monks lived here, continuously attacked by Saracen pirates. In 1427 the Benedictines left the monastery and were succeeded by Franciscan monks. The Franciscans remained until 1867. It was used as a hospital for cholera patients and later was converted into military barracks. It soon fell into disrepair but meanwhile nicely renovated it is used for exhibitions and cultural events.