Mura Aragonesi

Taranto's Aragonese Walls trace the changing defences of the Città Vecchia. Begun in the late fifteenth century, the fortifications incorporated parts of the ancient Greek wall line and shaped the island character of the old town.

Why it matters

The walls belong to the defensive rebuilding of Taranto under Aragonese rule, when Ottoman raids and the spread of artillery transformed coastal fortifications. A moat cut through the area between the old town and mainland created a defensive barrier; a later, widened canal followed part of that course.

What to notice

Along the Mar Grande, the fortifications followed the natural edge and reused sections of the Greek defensive line. Near Piazza Fontana, a tower associated with Raimondello Orsini del Balzo was upgraded to protect Porta Napoli. The tower of Sant'Angelo is documented as completed by 1484.

Context and history

The Aragonese government financed the castle and moat, while Taranto's civic administration paid for the walls and towers. The city's defences were strengthened in successive stages; designs for the castle are associated with Francesco di Giorgio Martini. The modern navigable canal was cut in the nineteenth century for the Navy's arsenal, completing the physical separation of the Città Vecchia from the mainland.