Lama Monachile

Built by the will of the Bourbon dynasty, it had the purpose of connecting the two cities of Bari and Lecce along the new Apulian Royal Consular Road. With a breathtaking landscape, this bridge is one of the favourite places to take pictures of the Lama Monachile's beach down below.

It is the remaining structure of the ancient defensive walls which were restored in the first half of the 16th century. Nowadays, it is the only access to the old city and it represents one of the most renowned architectural examples in Polignano a Mare. On this gate it is still possible to see the holes through which the sliding chains made the drawbridge work, in order to cross Lama Monachile down below. On its barrel vault there were three storm drains, which were then walled, through which boiling oil was spilled in case of external attacks. Another important detail which could be seen on this arch is a representation of Christ's crucifixion which dates back to the end of the sixteenth century even though its attribution is still unknown. The arch is topped by a religious building which took the name of "Confraternita di San Giuseppe" after its modernization in the eighteenth century.

The mother church was consecrated to the Holy Virgin in 1295. It dominates Piazza dell'Orologio square. The church has a simple but elegant facade and a robust tower bell. The late Renaissance elegant portal is flanked by two statues in valuable niches. The bell tower, more than 23 m high, consists of three orders, each in a different style. Inside the church there is a masterpiece, “The Nativity” sculpted by Stefano da Putignano.

The various cultures that alternated in Polignano over the centuries (Arab, Byzantine, Spanish, Roman and Norman) are still visible in the old city. The entrance is through the “Porta Grande”, today labelled as the Marchesale Arch, as it was the only access inserted in the feudal palace. Then, Fulvia Miani Perotti square opens to the visitor as soon as the arch is crossed. In ancient times it was equipped with a drawbridge, of which the holes for the chains and hinges are still visible.
On the right is the palace of the feudal lord, today owned by the Valentini Counts, while in front of it there is the terrace of the Governor's palace. On the left, in via Mulini, after passing the building where the Civic Library is located, tourists can see the birthplace of Msgr. Pompeo Sarnelli, priest and scholar from Polignano who lived between 1649 and 1724. From Piazzetta Miani the larger Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II can be easily reached, along a small road where a pillory, the place where those condemned by the Ducal Court were exposed to public derision, is located. It is still possible to admire a part of the hook that held the pillory and the stones smoothed from the bodies of suffering people. At the end of the street, there is the largest square in the historic centre, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. On the left, there is Palazzo dell’Orologio, seat of the town hall until 1837. An ancient sundial can still be seen on it, while at the top a small bell gable rises.
In this ancient village it is amazing to follow the path of the alleys since there are many very narrow streets and dead ends that offer wonderful corner views. There are fabulous panoramas, so getting lost across the white houses and flowered balconies is a typical experience for tourists. Streets and alleys have a timeless aura, with a unique and poetic touch: in Polignano the historic centre is full of poems written almost everywhere, on the ground, on walls and on doors by an artist called "Guido, the Flaneur”.

This statue of the Italian singer/songwriter was dedicated in 2009. It is about 3 metres tall and was conceived and erected by the Argentinian sculptor Hermann Mejer. Modugno is depicted in the open-armed gesture which he is famous for. A native of Polignano a Mare, he is the author of the famous song Nel blu dipinto di blu (also known as Volare). Behind him there is the beautiful crystal clear sea, and he is turned towards the city so that his people who admired him are involved in a sort of great hug. The Lungomare Domenico Modugno is also a nice spot to take photos overlooking the Adriatic Sea.

This spot, belonging to the Leto family, is a cave in the rock overlooking the sea. Today it houses a luxury restaurant, one of the 25 most beautiful in the world, but it seems that in the past it already had considered a worthy attraction (as evidenced by a painting by the French painter Desprez).