Thursday, March 31, 2016

Good Friday in Taranto

Taranto, not Toronto, and with accent on the first syllable, leaped onto our radar when our tentative itinerary put us in Apulia for Easter Week or Settimana di Pasqua as it's called in Italian. Taranto has one of the best Good Friday processions in southern Italy; the Procession of the Mysteries. However, the pubic transport scheme from Martina Franca to Taranto and back limited our visit to the day's earlier procession, the Adoration of Mary. The weather was good and the procession amazing. We may return...

The image of Mary is slowly carried down the people lined corso, proceeded and followed by dirge playing brass bands and men wearing white hoods and black hats slowing swaying from side to side. It will be 5 hours until she is safely returned, up the stairs and into the Church of San Dominico.
Taranto, Apulia, Italy

Taranto, Apulia, Italy

Taranto, Apulia, Italy

Taranto, Apulia, Italy

Taranto, Apulia, Italy

Taranto, Apulia, Italy

Taranto, Apulia, Italy

Some of the men walk with their families.
Taranto, Apulia, Italy

Some solitary men carry a cross and walk barefoot
Taranto, Apulia, Sicily

And finally up into San Dominico.
Taranto, Apulia, Sicily

Taranto, Apulia, Sicily

Taranto, Apulia, Sicily

Taranto, Apulia, Sicily

We did not follow the entire procession, optimizing our time by visiting the very good Archaeological Museum of Taranto. The first floor was closed but we enjoyed the second floor's extensive collection of 2nd to 4th century Roman artifacts, most dug up in the streets around the museum.
Taranto, Apulia, Sicily

And by checking out the waterfront. Old Town Taranto is on a narrow peninsula.
Taranto, Apulia, Sicily

Taranto, Apulia, Sicily

How about this muscular modern building on the waterfront.
Taranto, Apulia, Sicily

Some snacks to eat on the 5pm bus back to Martina Franca.
Taranto, Apulia, Sicily

6 comments:

Crash Eddy said...

I'm having great fun following you on Google Mapse I note that the town ends and farmers' fields start divided by only a road. I find a huge solar array at Centro Commerciale Auchan Taranto, the buildings are covered. I can't find this "fort" on GM, https://www.flickr.com/photos/meckleychina/26075164451

Kathy said...

Looks seriously crowded! What is the statue carrying?

john said...

@Kathy, There were crowds but it was not crowded. The camera lens makes it look more crowded than it actually was. And the "crowds" were only at the beginning and end of the procession. And folks were very civil.... Mary looks to carrying her Sacred Heart in her left hand. Not sure what is in the right hand, maybe a water jug.

john said...

@Crash, The Castello Aragonese is at 40.472596, 17.234435....Happy that you are enjoying our trip via GM. ;-)

Crash Eddy said...

Thanks, John. Found it easily. Quite impressive.

Liz said...

Amazing pictures!

Most Recent Post

Sri Lanka: Jaffna

Jaffna, the biggest city in the north of Sri Lanka; and being the historical base of Tamils in Sri Lanka, had suffered much from the 1983-20...

Most Popular Posts of Last 30 Days