Altamura is a historic city known for its well-preserved old buildings, monumental cathedral and bread baked here since the Middle Ages, recognized by the European Union as a local product with a protected composition.
The oldest part of Altamura is closed within the city walls. Several gates have been preserved through which it was possible to enter the city in the past. One of the most famous is the Bari Gate, currently standing in a row of tenement houses. Behind the walls there are streets paved with light stone, built up with tenement houses and city palaces. Bright colors, flowers on the balconies and many restaurants, bars and handicraft shops encourage you to walk and look into the charming courtyards hidden behind the gates.
The most famous monument and attraction of Altamura is the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. A Romanesque building with numerous elements from later eras, has an impressive two-tower façade, intricate stonework decorations and an atmospheric interior. Next to it, there is the Mudima Matronei Diocesan Museum with a rich collection of works of religious art and liturgical equipment.
Altamura is known throughout Italy for bread baked here using traditional methods. One of the oldest bakeries in Italy, Antico Forno Santa Chiara, established in the 14th century, operates here. Heart-shaped Altamura bread is considered a regional product and can only be baked in local bakeries.
