Taranto (Italian:[ˈtaːranto]ⓘ;Tarantino:Tarde),[a] historically also calledTarent in English, is a coastal city inApulia,Southern Italy. It is the capital of theprovince of Taranto, serving as an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base.[5] With a population of 185,909 as of 2025, Taranto is thesecond-largest city in Apulia.[6]
Taranto is now the third-largest continental city in southern Italy (south of Rome, roughly the southern half of the Italian peninsula), with well-developed steel and iron foundries, oil refineries, chemical works, naval shipyards and food-processing factories. Taranto will host the2026 Mediterranean Games.
The islets ofS. Pietro andS. Paolo (St. Peter and St. Paul), collectively known asCheradi Islands, protect the bay, calledMar Grande (Big Sea), where the commercial port is located.[citation needed] Taranto is known for the large population ofdolphins and othercetaceans living near these islands. Another bay, calledMar Piccolo (Little Sea), is formed by the peninsula of the old city and has flourishingfishing.[citation needed]
TheGreek colonists fromSparta called the cityTaras (Τάρᾱς,gen.ΤάραντοςTárantos) after the mythical heroTaras, while theRomans, who connected the city to Rome with an extension of theAppian Way, called itTarentum.[9]
Doric columns from the Temple of Poseidon in Taranto, legacy of its Greek origins.
Taranto was founded in 706 BC byDorian Greek immigrants hailing fromSparta. Its origin is peculiar: the founders werePartheniae ("sons of virgins"), sons of unmarried Spartan women andPerioeci (free men, but not citizens of Sparta); these out-of-wedlock unions were permitted extraordinarily by the Spartans to increase the prospective number of soldiers (only the citizens of Sparta could become soldiers) during the bloodyMessenian Wars, but later they were retroactively nullified, and the sons were then obliged to leave Greece forever.Phalanthus, the Parthenian leader and founder (Oikistes), went toDelphi to consult theoracle: the puzzling answer designated the harbour of Taranto as the new home of the exiles. The Partheniae arrived in Apulia, and founded the city, naming itTaras after the son of the Greek sea god,Poseidon, and of a localnymph,[10]Satyrion.[citation needed] According to other sources,Heracles founded the city. Another tradition indicates Taras as the founder of the city; the symbol of the Greek city (as well as of the modern city) depicts the legend of Taras being saved from a shipwreck by riding a dolphin that was sent to him by Poseidon. Taranto increased its power, becoming a commercial power and a sovereign city ofMagna Graecia.[11]Politically and militarily,Archytas appeared to have been the dominant figure in Tarentum in the first half of the 4th century, somewhat comparable toPericles inAthens a half-century earlier.[12] The Tarentines elected himstrategos ("general") seven years in a row, a step that required them to violate their own rule against successive appointments. Archytas was allegedly undefeated as a general in Tarentine campaigns against their southern Italian neighbors.[13]
In 303,Sparta sentCleonymus, the brother of kingAreus I, commanding mercenary armies with official support in order to help Tarentum againstLucanians and theRoman Republic.[14] Tarentum's power and independence came to an end as the Romans expanded throughout Italy. Taranto fought against Rome for the control of Southern Italy: it was helped byPyrrhus,Molossian king of GreekEpirus,[11] who surprised Rome with the use ofwar elephants inbattle of Heraclea, a thing never seen before by the Romans. After the Pyrrhic victory at thebattle of Asculum they lost the battle of Beneventum in 275 BC. Tarentum surrendered to Rome after the death of Pyrrhus in Peloponnese in 272 BC. This subsequently cut off Taranto from the centre of Mediterranean trade, by connecting theVia Appia directly to the port of Brundisium (Brindisi).
Like many Greek city states, Taras issued its own coins in the 5th and 4th centuries BC. The denomination was a Nomos, a die-cast silver coin whose weight, size and purity were controlled by the state. The highly artistic coins presented the symbol of the city, Taras being saved by a dolphin, with the reverse side showing the likeness of ahippocamp, a horse-fish amalgam which is depicted in mythology as the beast that drew Poseidon's chariot.
Taras was also the centre of a thriving decoratedGreek pottery industry during the 4th century BC. Most of theSouth Italian Greek vessels known asBasilican ware were made in different workshops in the city.
Unfortunately, none of the names of the artists have survived, so modern scholars have been obliged to give the recognizable artistic hands and workshops nicknames based on the subject matter of their works, museums which possess the works, or individuals who have distinguished the works from others. Some of the most famous of the Apulian vase painters at Taras are now called: theIliupersis Painter, theLycurgus Painter, theGioia del Colle Painter, theDarius Painter, theUnderworld Painter, and theWhite Sakkos Painter, among others.
The wares produced by these workshops were usually large elaborate vessels intended for mortuary use. The forms produced includedvolute kraters,loutrophoroi,paterai,oinochoai,lekythoi,fish plates, etc. The decoration of these vessels wasred figure (with figures reserved in red clay fabric, while the background was covered in a black gloss), with overpainting (sovradipinto) in white, pink, yellow, and maroon slips.
Often the style of the drawings is florid and frilly, as was already the fashion in 4th-century Athens. Distinctive South Italian features also begin to appear. Many figures are shown seated on rocks. Floral motifs become very ornate, including spiraling vines and leaves,roses,lilies,poppies, sprays oflaurel,acanthus leaves. Often the subject matter consists of naiskos scenes (scenes showing the statue of a deceased person in a naos, a miniature temple or shrine). Most often the naiskos scene occupies one side of the vase, while a mythological scene occupies the other. Images depicting many of the Greek myths are only known from South Italian vases, since Athenian ones seem to have had more limited repertoires of depiction.
Ancient coin from Taranto, with the eponymTaras hero riding a dolphin.
The Taranto Prize, defined as the "Biennial of the South", was a biennial cultural event that took place between 1947 and 1951.It was born on the initiative of thirty-year-old veterans who, returning from theSecond World War, gathered in the «Cultural Club (Circolo della cultura)» and the newspaper 'Voce del Popolo'. The coordinator, Antonio Rizzo, was a physicist who graduated with Enrico Fermi. He intended to promote a new cultural impulse of a pacifist nature for the city.The event was structured into two sections: literature and painting. Several artists of international calibre, such asPier Paolo Pasolini,Carlo Emilio Gadda, andGiorgio de Chirico, participated.The theme of the competition was the sea.
The Municipality of Taranto was declared bankrupt effective 31 December 2005, having accrued liabilities of €357 million.[19] This was one of the biggest financial crises which has ever hit a municipality.
The bankruptcy declaration was made on 18 October 2006 by the receiver Tommaso Blonda. He was appointed following the resignation of the mayor, Rossana Di Bello, on account of her sixteen-month prison sentence for abuse of office and forgery of documents relating to investigations into the contract for the management of the city incinerator, awarded to Termomeccanica.
Taranto faces theIonian Sea. It is 14.5 m (48 ft) abovesea level. It was built on a plain running north/north-west–southeast, and surrounded by theMurgia plateau from the north-west to the east. Its territory extends for 209.64 km2 (80.94 sq mi) and is mostly underwater. It is characterised by three naturalpeninsulas and a man-made island, formed by digging a ditch during the construction ofAragon Castle. The city is known as the "city of two seas" because it is washed by the Big Sea in the bay between Punta Rondinella to the northwest and Capo San Dante to the south, and by the vast reservoir of the Little Sea.
The Big Sea (or "Mare Grande") is frequently known as theBig Sea bay as that is where ships harbour. It is separated from the Little Sea (or "Mare Piccolo") by a cape which closes the gulf, leading to the artificial island. This island formed the heart of the original city and it is connected to the mainland by thePonte di Porta Napoli and thePonte Girevole. The Big Sea is separated from the Ionian Sea by the Capo San Vito, the Isole Cheradi of St Peter and St Paul, and the three islands of San Nicolicchio, which are completely incorporated by theILVA steelworks. The latter form a littlearchipelago which closes off the arc creating the natural Big Sea bay.
The Little Sea is considered to be a lagoon so it presents problems of water exchange.[citation needed] It is virtually divided into two by thePonte Punta Penna Pizzone, which joins the Punta Penna to the Punta Pizzone. The first of these forms a rough triangle, whose corners are the opening to the east and the Porta Napolichannel linking it to the Big Sea in the west.[citation needed] The second half forms anellipse whose major axis measures almost 5 km (3 mi) from the south-west to the north-east. TheGaleso river flows into the first half.
The two water bodies have slightly different winds and tides and their underwater springs have different salinities. These affect the currents on the surface and in the depths of the Big Sea and the two halves of the Little Sea. In the Big Sea and in the northern part of the Little Sea, there are some underwater springs calledcitri,[20] which carry undrinkable freshwater together with salt water. This creates the ideal biological conditions for cultivatingMediterranean mussels, known locally ascozze.
The spring is usually mild and rainy, but it is not uncommon to have sudden cold spells from the north and east, which often cause snowfall. Average annual precipitation is fairly low (even for southern Italy), measuring just 425 mm (16.7 in) per year.
The summer is hot and humid, with temperatures averaging 29 °C (84 °F).
On 28 November 2012 a large F3tornado hit the port of Taranto and damaged theTaranto Steel Mill; about 20 workers were injured, and another man was reported missing.[23]
Climate data for Taranto (1981–2010 normals, extremes 1943–present)
The city is the centre of theTarantino dialect (dialètte tarandíne) of theNeapolitan language. As a result of the city's history, it is influenced by Greek, Vulgar Latin, French and many others.
In 1991 Taranto was declared a high environmental risk area by theMinistry of Environment. As a consequence of the pollutants discharged into the air by the factories in the area, most notably the ILVA steel plant, part ofGruppo Riva. 7% of Taranto's pollution is produced by the public; 93% is produced by factories. In 2005, theEuropean Pollutant Emission Register estimateddioxin emissions from the Taranto ILVA plant were responsible for 83% of Italy's total reported emissions.[32] Every year the city is exposed to 2.7 t (2.7 long tons; 3.0 short tons) ofcarbon monoxide and 57.7 t (56.8 long tons; 63.6 short tons) ofcarbon dioxide.[citation needed] In 2014, the Italian National Institute of Emissions and their Sources,[33] stated that Taranto stands third in the world behind China'sLinfen, andCopşa Mică in Romania, the most polluted cities in the world due to factories' emissions.[citation needed]
In particular, the city produces ninety-two percent of Italy'sdioxin.[citation needed] This is 8.8 percent of the dioxin in Europe.[citation needed] Between 1995 and 2004,leukaemias,myelomas andlymphomas increased by 30 to 40 percent. Dioxin accumulates over the years. Over 9 kilos[clarification needed] of dioxin have been discharged into the city's air by its factories.[citation needed] Grazing is banned within 20 km (12 mi) of the ILVA plant.[34]
Palazzo del Governo facing theLungomare, which was inaugurated in 1934 by Benito Mussolini
Taranto has a number of sites of historic value. Situated at the angle of the canal, Big Sea andPiazza Castello, theAragon Castle was built between 1486 and 1492 by orders of KingFerdinand II of Aragon to protect the city from theTurks' frequent raids.[37] The castle, which was designed by Italian painter and architectFrancesco di Giorgio Martini, replaced a pre-existing 9th-century Byzantine fortress, which was deemed unfit for 15th-century warfare.[37][38] In 1707 it ceased to be used as a military fortress and was converted to a prison until underNapoleon Bonaparte it reverted to its original military function. To date it is the property of the Italian Navy and is open to the public. Twenty-first-century excavations revealed the castle's earlier Byzantine foundations which can be viewed.[37]
There are several Greek temple ruins - some from the 6th century BC - such as the remains of atemple dedicated to Poseidon, with its two surviving Doric columns still visible on Piazza Castello in theCittà Vecchia.[39]
TheConcattedrale Gran Madre di Dio, designed byGio Ponti, was built in 1967–1971 in reinforced concrete and is one of the most significant late works by the architect. In 2018 it is in poor condition and defaced by graffiti.[40]
Via Cava in Old City. The painted red arched door of the old, multi-storied palazzo is an example of thestreet art that since 2013 became a feature of Old City
The Old City orCittà Vecchia is where the Greeks built their acropolis. Today it retains the same street layout of 967, when the Byzantines under Nicephorus Phocas rebuilt what theSaracen troops led by the Slavic Sabir had razed to the ground in 927 AD.[41] There are four main arteries (Corso Vittorio II, Via Duomo, Via di Mezzo and Via Garibaldi) which run in a straight direction however the side streets were purposely built narrow and winding to impede the passage of an invading army.[42]
Incorporating theAragon Castle,Doric Columns, City Hall, Clock Tower and Piazza Fontana, it is situated and entirely enclosed on the artificial island between the Big and Little Seas and is reached from the New Cityby crossing the Ponte Girevole (swing bridge) from the south and the Ponte di Porta Napoli from the north. Almost rectangular in shape, it is divided into fourpittaggi (quarters) that are delineated by the cross formed between Via di Mezzo andpostilier Via Nuova. These are "Baglio" and "San Pietro" in the upper section which face the Big Sea; and "Turipenne" and "Ponte" in the lower part fronting the Little Sea.[41] The nobility, clergy and military personnel made their homes in Baglio and San Pietro, whilst the artisans and fishermen dwelled in Ponte and Turipenne. An Armenian community was present in the 10th and 11th centuries having arrived in Taranto as troops in the Byzantine Army. TheSan't Andrea degli Armeni church in Piazza Monteoliveto, located in the Baglio quarter, stands as testimony to the neighbourhood where the Armenians made their homes.[43]
In 1746 the entire population of Taranto resided in Old City. This resulted in the necessity of building additional stories on the narrow houses.[44] It is still inhabited with a number of people living in juxtaposition to the old palazzi. By 2013 the population of the Old City was just 1000[41] at a time when the wider city had more than 200,000 inhabitants.
Old derelict buildings in Via di Mezzo which forms the cross that divides the four pittagi
There are a number of 17th and 18th-centurypalazzi in Old City. For years, they served as the main residence of local aristocratic families and the clergy. These include Palazzo Calò, Palazzo Carducci-Artenisio (1650), Palazzo Galeota (1728), Palazzo Gallo (17th century), P PMalazzo Latagliata, Palazzo Lo Jucco (1793), Palazzo D'Aquino, Palazzo Delli Ponti, Palazzo Gennarini, Palazzo d'Ayala, Palazzo Visconti, Palazzo Galizia, Palazzo Ciura and Palazzo Pantaleo. The 17th century de Beaumont-Bonelli-Bellacicco palace houses the Spartan Museum of Taranto - Hypogeum Bellacicco which extends below street and sea level to the hypogeum that is a crossroads with other hypogeum of Old City which together form the system of subterranean Taranto.[38]
Ceiling of the San Cataldo chapel insidethe cathedral.
Beginning in 1934Benito Mussolini embarked on a project of rejuvenation that involved the demolition of the working class Turipennepittaggio along the Via Garibaldi and ''Discesa Vasto'' which contained the homes of local fishermen as well as the old Jewish quarter. The demolitions, which also razed the old medieval wall and three churches out of the four within the area, continued until the outbreak of World War II. Modern edifices and apartment blocks were erected to replace the demolished structures.[45]
In addition to the manypalazzi, Old City has myriad arched alleyways,saliti, vicoli and small streets, some of which are closed to traffic. Between 2013 and 2014 two Neapolitan urban artists Cyop and Kaf embarked on a project to decorate derelict buildings, walls and doors in thepiazzi and vicoli with 120 representations ofstreet art. It has since become a striking feature of Old City which is described as the abandoned district of Taranto.[46]
Among the various school are: Liceo Scientifico Battaglini, Liceo Archita (the most ancient),[citation needed] Liceo Quinto Ennio (in Literature), Liceo Aristosseno (Languages, Science, Humanistic), Galileo Ferraris, ITCS Pitagora da Taranto, Vittorino da Feltre, Cabrini, ITIS Righi and ITIS Pacinotti (in IT) and ITC V. Bachelet (in Commercial and Accounting – famous for the activities at BIT MILANO).[citation needed]
A very important ingredient of the cuisine of Taranto ismussels. They are grown in the Big Sea and, above all, in the Little Sea (seeabove). They have been inserted in the list of Traditional Food Products by the ItalianMinistry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies. The peculiar flavour of Tarantine mussels is given by the special conditions of salinity of the Little Sea which is crossed by thecitri, submarine freshwater springs which manage to oxygenate the water, helping the development of theplankton and by the freshwater come from the Galeso river. The piles for the mussels were anciently made with wood fromSila Mountains inCalabria. During the Ancient Greek and Roman times, several authors[47] described the richness and the goodness of the mussels of Taranto. After the tests about the pollution that is present in the first side of the Little Sea, the legal production of mussels has been moved to the second side. The tests and the classifications of the water are made by producers giving the possibility to certify the safety of the product.[48] Some of the most traditional dishes of Taranto are musselsalla puppitegna (withgarlic, extra-virgin olive oil andparsley) or theimpepata ("full of pepper" in Italian) orspaghetti with mussels, orTubettini with mussels.
Taranto-Grottaglie Airport is located 16 km away from Taranto, but does not offer any regularly scheduled commercial services. The two closest airports that do offer regularly scheduled commercial services are inBrindisi andBari, approximately 70 km and 90 km away, respectively.
ThePonte Girevole (swing bridge), built in 1887, runs across the navigable ship canal that joinsMar Piccolo (Little Sea) withMar Grande (Big Sea) and stretches along 89.9 m (295 ft). When the bridge is open, the two ends of the city are disconnected.
Diodato, singer and author who was also designated as the Italian representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2020, event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Giobbe Covatta, actor, performer writer and social activist
^Pausanias (1903),"10.10.8",Pausaniae Graeciae Descriptio (in Greek), Leipzig: Teubner,archived from the original on 29 September 2020, retrieved21 February 2021.
^Cappelen, John; Jensen, Jens."Italien - Taranto"(PDF).Climate Data for Selected Stations (1931-1960) (in Danish). Danish Meteorological Institute. p. 147. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 27 April 2013. Retrieved7 April 2017.
^abc"The Old Town of Taranto: Architectural Reading of the History Urban Form for the Correct Methodology for Restoration Project the Built Heritage in the Island". Ubaldo Occhinegro. Polytecnic School of Bari. Paper Number 362-8. Proceedings of the 2nd ICAUD International Conference on Architecture and Urban Design. Epoka University, Tirana, Albania 8–10 May 2014. Paper No. 362
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