Barletta - Chiesa di Sant'Andrea

The Phoenicians, the Greeks and the Romans have been here. In 216 BC, during the second Punic war, the Battle of Canne was fought nearby which led to the heavy defeat of the Romans by Hannibal's army. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the area was taken over by the Normans, who built a fortress here. During the time of the Crusades, Barletta became an important gathering point for the armies of knights. The city had its heyday under Frederick II, who in 1228 announced the sixth crusade during the Diet held here. Following the Muslim conquest in the Holy Land, the Archbishops of Nazareth took permanent refuge in Barletta in 1327.

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The church is known since the 12 century when it was named "Santo Salvatore". When during the "Sack of Barletta" in 1528 the convent buildings of the Order of Friars Minor (aka "Franciscans") including the church Sant'Andrea, that was located outside the city walls, got destroyed, the order was enabled to settle here inside the walls. They renamed the church to Sant'Andrea. The church has this interesting tympanum. Flanked by angels are Christ in a blessing gesture, the Virgin (left) and John the Baptist (right). The pillars end in the symbols of the four evangelists, and below is an inscription (hard to see) that reads

"Incola Tranensis sculpsit Simeon Raguseus"

A signature! "This was sculptured by Simeon from Ragusa, living in Trani". Ragusa today is named Dubrovnik! Simeon came from the eastern side of the Adriatic sea.