In 1965, digging in contrada Candile, a necropolis five thousand years old came to light: from that discovery scholars took the name for an entire prehistoric culture, the Laterza civilisation, semi-nomadic people who had come from the Balkans. Older still is the cave of San Pellegrino, with two limestone plaques engraved and painted in ochre ten thousand years ago.
The town stands on the edge of the gravina, a karst canyon that since 1985 has been a bird protection oasis, today run by the LIPU. In 1434 Joanna II declared it a demesne city in perpetuity — that is, free of feudal lords — but in 1485 it was sold all the same to the castellan of Taranto. The bread remains, and the maiolica, turquoise on white enamel. There are 15,296 residents.
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📅 Every year, on 20 May
Laterza celebrates Our Lady Mater Domini on 20 May, in the sanctuary dedicated to her; in the summer months the town hosts the Festival della Terra delle Gravine, and since 2015 the MUMA, the Museum of Laterza Majolica.
Straight-line distances from the town centre. Tap a point to open its page.
The closest destinations covered by our editors, with straight-line distance.
Outside Laterza, but an easy day trip away.
