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Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, southern Italy. It is the capital of Province of Taranto and is an important military and commercial port. It is the third largest continental city of southern Italy: according to the 2001 census, it has population of 201,349.

Its coordinates are . Its altitude is 15 metres above sea level, with a surface area of 217 km². The postal code is 74100, the phone prefix is 099, and the fiscal code is L049.

Taranto is an important commercial and military port. It has well-developed steel and iron foundries, oil refineries, chemical works, some shipyards for building warships, and food-processing factories.

Taranto history dates back to the 8th century BC when it was founded as a Greek colony. The ancient city was situated on a peninsula, protected by a helm; the modern city has been built over the ancient Greek necropolis. The islets of S. Pietro and S. Paolo (St. Peter and St. Paul) protect the bay, called Mar Grande (Big Sea), where the commercial port is located. Another bay, called Mar Piccolo (Little Sea), is formed by the old city, and there fishing is flourishing; Mar Piccolo is a military port with a strategic importance; at the end of the 19th century, a channel was excavated to allow the military ships to enter Mar Piccolo harbour, and the ancient Greek city become an island. In addition, the islets and the coast are strongly fortified. Because of the presence of these two bays, Taranto is also called “the city of the two seas”.

The Greek colonists called the city Taras ('), from the name of the mythical eponymous hero Taras, while the Romans, who connected the city to Rome with an extension of the Appian way, called it Tarentum'''.

Taranto is also famous for the British attack on the Regia Marina base during the World War II, known as the Battle (or Night) of Taranto.

History

Origins

Main sights

Notable people

• Archytas of Tarentum, philosopher, mathematician, astronomer, statesman, strategist and commander-in-chief of the army of Taranto;
• Philolaus, mathematician and philosopher.
• Aristoxenus, peripatetic philosopher, and writer on music and rhythm;
• Leonidas of Tarentum, poet;
• Rhinthon (c. 323–285 BC), dramatist;
• Livius Andronicus, poet;
• Titus Quinctius Flamininus, propraetor of Tarentum;
• Pacuvius, tragic poet, died in Tarentum in 130 BC;
• Cataldus, archibishop of Taranto, saint, and patronus;
• Bohemond of Taranto, key military leader on the First Crusade
• Gil Cardinal Albornoz, archibishop of Taranto in 1644;
• Giovanni Paisiello, composer;
• Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, Napoleonic army general and novelist, died in Taranto;
• Etienne-Jacques-Joseph-Alexandre MacDonald (1765 - 1840), duke of Taranto and marshal of France;

Citations

Miscellaneous

• Star of David: "A David's shield has recently been noted on a Jewish tombstone at Tarentum, in southern Italy, which may date as early as the third century of the common era."
• Tarentum was included in the hit PC game Rome: Total War as the governing settlement for Apulia as well as the capital of the Roman Faction of Brutii

Sources and external links

• Satellite map, Google Maps
• Culture centre Filonide
• Heraldica.org- Napoleonic heraldry
• Tourism in Taranto
• Taranto Community

Roman sites of Apulia | Ancient Roman enemies and allies | Coastal cities | Colonies of Magna Graecia | Dorian colonies | Ancient Spartans | Towns in Puglia | Archaeological sites in Italy

تارانتو | Tarento | Tàrent | Taranto | Tarent | Tarento | Taranto | Tarente | Taranto | Taranto | Tarente (stad) | ターラント | Taranto | Tarent | Taranto | Taranto | Таранто | Taranto | Таранто | Taranto | Taranto

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Taranto".

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