Altamura is located within the large national nature park, the Alta Murgia Park. It is a city with a historic center very rich in works of art and structures from almost a millennium ago. The Cathedral is the example par excellence: built in the thirteenth century, it was followed in the Romanesque style, then use of the white stone of the area and sober features also inside the Church.
The construction was commissioned by King Frederick II, the author of castles and other monuments throughout Southern Italy, including the renowned Castel del Monte in Andria. Around the Cathedral of the Assumption, the inhabited area of the city has developed, now become the historic center, and retains the name of the village, since it is inhabited by hundreds of people. The village is characterized by many small alleys, whose access is often represented by a stone arch, a sign of how important the inhabited center was considered.
The historic buildings of the city are extremely well preserved, thanks to the continuous maintenance adopted over time by the various owners, up to the current one. Many of these buildings, albeit private, host exhibitions and small shows, so that tourists and not only can admire the majesty of the entrance halls and the mighty structure.
Squares are the main places where people used to meet to exchange goods, do business or simply talk. This tradition has remained unchanged over time and immense gathering spaces, such as Piazza Duomo, are the demonstration of how important aggregation and socialization is, especially in small towns such as Altamura where all the inhabitants know each other, forming a large family.
