Piazza Castello

Piazza Castello in Taranto's old city brings together the Greek acropolis, the Aragonese castle gate and the modern Palazzo di Città.

Why it matters

The square concentrates several defining layers of Taranto's history in one urban space. Greek sacred ground, a later defensive gateway and modern civic government reveal how the island's political centre changed over time.

What to notice

Two Doric columns and part of a third mark the remains of an early sixth-century BC temple. Nearby, the Palazzo di Città occupies the site of the sixteenth-century Casa del Capitano, while the land entrance to the Aragonese castle reflects the square's later military role.

Context and history

The square occupies the acropolis of the Greek polis, where temples and civic structures once stood. Later buildings included houses, storage spaces, a Christian church and the Convent of the Celestines. Twentieth-century demolition exposed the temple columns and created the open civic space seen today. The municipal palace was built between 1864 and 1869.