The splendid rose window of the Cathedral of Santa Maria dell”Assunta is the symbol of Troy, an ancient city at the foot of the Dauni Mountains. To support the splendid rose window, there is the bronze portal, where stories of saints and bishops are read, carved.
The village of Troia has ancient origins. According to the legend, was founded in the XII-XI century B.C. at the time of the Greek hero Diomedes who, together with Ulysses, conquered the city of Troy in Asia Minor. Some findings daterebbero the center to front age to the punic wars.
Before being colonized by the Romans, the town was known as Aika, subsequently Latinized into Aecae, which had a strong socio-economic development with Herdonia (the current Ordona), Ausculum (Ascoli Satriano), Arpi (Foggia), Teanum Apulum (San Paolo di Civitate). The present village was born in 1019. Troia, indeed he was officially founded to become a stronghold of the Byzantine Empire.
Then, in the first years of the year 1000, the Southern Italy was disputed between the Longobards and Byzantines, with Sicily to wear the clothes of the arab emirate. Puglia and Calabria, constantly on the brink of the revolt, head were formally to Byzantium. In this particular situation, with the Lombards little distant, established in the territories beneventani, north of Puglia was in fact the demarcation line between east and west.
The date of the foundation of the 1019 is inter alia be deduced from an incision in Latin on the bronze door said of freedom, placed on the right side of the Cathedral, forged in 1127, 108 years after the foundation of Troy.
The town was subject to numerous sieges, such as that of Henry II or that of the Emperor Frederick II of Swabia. In 1093, Urban II, the Pope of the crusades, held the first council of Troy, followed by the other three, respectively in 1115 (Pope Paschal II), in 1120 (Pope Callistus II) and in 1127 (Pope Honorius II).
The city is lined first with the Angevins, then with the Aragonese and more recently with the Bourbons, to which he remained faithful until the collapse of their monarchy. The name of Troy is inextricably linked to the history, as in the original coat of arms of the city was shown a sow, intent to breastfeed seven piglets. Subsequently Charles V the replaced in 1536 about with an amphora d'oro surmounted by a crown, from which guizzano five snakes, eternal remembrance of the cunning of its inhabitants.
The main points of interest in the village of Troia are constituted by its Cathedral, the Diocesan Museum and its Exultet hymn, the Palazzo di Città, or Avalos Palace (with the ghost of the marquis) and the Church of San Basilio Magno.
The territory surrounding the village also offers pleasant itineraries for excursions and walks, sometimes rich of history as the Via Francigena. Along the old Appia Traiana, in fact, over the centuries have passed armies, wayfarers and pilgrims to go from Rome to Brindisi. It came in the Daunia, after the station of Aequotutico, called Contrada Sant'Eleuterio and the first city that met him was Aecae. Here there was the deviation or for Lucera, Arpi and Siponto (to arrive at Monte Sant'Angelo), or to continue to Ordona and Canosa. At the end of the VI century the Daunia and the Sanctuary of San Michele in Monte Sant'Angelo began to be in the interest of the Lombards. Began the great pilgrimages that crossed our city and the first notation with the appellative of Francigena is found as an epithet that Gualtiero Francigena, Bishop of Troy, who in 1083 started the construction of the Church of Santa Maria that later became the cathedral. Troia-Aecae crossed along the Appia Traiana, then via Francigena, pilgrims and travelers on these routes: the Itinerarium Burdigalense (Bordeaux) in the year 334 pilgrims to go to Jerusalem; the itinerary of the holy places of Bernardo the assay in the year 870 to visit the sanctuary of San Michele in Monte Sant'Angelo; the itinerary of the pilgrimage of the holy places of Nikulas of Munkathvera, Abbot Icelandic (1151-1154) to visit the sanctuary of San Michele in Monte Sant'Angelo, travel from Corfu to France of Philip Augustus (1191) King of France return from the third crusade; the itinerary of an English pilgrim in the Holy Land and other holy places (1344-1345); the tinerarium de Brugis (half of the XV century) to go to the Holy Land; and finally the itinerary of Anselmo and John Adorno in the Holy Land (1470-1471).
Village of Troia
The Municipality of Troia
Province of Foggia
Apulia Region
inhabitants: 7.195
Altitude center: 439 m a.s.l.
The Municipality is part of:
Paesi Bandiera Arancione
Acknowledgments
Orange Flag - Italian Touring Club
Spighe Verdi
Municipality
Via Regina Margherita 70 - Tel. +39 0881 978411
BY CAR
ON THE TRAIN
BY PLANE
A great history is always accompanied by a great gastronomic traditions. This is because Troia, together with the variegatissimo panorama of monuments and historical buildings of relief, offers an assembly of typical dishes of absolute interest. It starts by scaldatelli or taralli, typical bakery products, familiar to all the towns of Puglia, flavored with olive oil, fennel seeds, pepper and other spices and ingredients according to the recipe jealously guarded from each of the bakers citizens. Unfailing The Pancotto, a soup that speaks of the earth and of the peasant tradition, an embrace of flavors, recipe triumphant to the cuisine of the poor, which has now become a bulwark of our tables. The pancotto is widespread throughout the Puglia, but is in the province of Foggia that is declined in different ways from country to country. In Troy, to the excellent stale bread and potatoes, you add wild vegetables of the season (from chard with turnips, passing for catalogne and chicory), garlic, bay leaf and chili pepper, generously seasoned with extra virgin olive oil local. This is flanked by a skill for the most refined palates, cooked cooked, a traditional tripe soup from prolonged cooking, a gentle fire, seasoned with celery, carrot, onion and tomato, celebrated even in a festival to theme organised usually during the second week of August. Finally, how can we not mention the Nero di Troia wine, an autochthonous grapes, whose production is a wine with an intense red that fades to black. As the rest of the story of Troia, even the origins of this vine is forgiveness halfway between history and legend. Unfailing the myth that seeks brought in captained by part of the Greek hero Diomedes, while for others it seems it was a wine welcome to Federico II. After various vicissitudes, crops previously reduced in favor of varieties with higher yield, are now returning in vogue with the Nero di Troia in purity, resulting in a wine valuable from typical ruby red color with hints of liquorice and raspberry.
Holy Week
ancient and evocative are the rites of Holy Week to Troy. From Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday, Troy lives a succession of events paraliturgiche whose origin dates back to the far 1702 at the behest of the bishop e.g. knights. On the evening of Holy Thursday the Confraternities of the Annunziata, the SS. Our Lady of Sorrows of SS. The sacrament and of St John of God, after the "Mass in Coena Domini", crossing in prayer the ancient historical center to reach the most important churches of the city.
10:00 Friday starting from the church of San Basilio Magno, 5 hooded men dressed with the sai Bianchi, barefoot and dragging large chains bound to the ankles, leave bringing on the shoulders heavy crosses. In this penitential procession, whose journey starts from San Basilio Magno along Via Roma and rises along the Corso Regina Margherita, the hooded come to pray before the Blessed Sacrament in some churches of the city.
To 20:00 Friday has beginning from the square in front of the Cathedral the so-called "Procession of Mysteries", 5 groups wooden statuari whose original papier mâché eighteenth century are preserved in the Museum Diocesan Ecclesiastical. Every 25 years, on the occasion of the jubilee year, is carried in procession the Crocifisso del Frasa, dating back to 1709.
On Easter Sunday at 18:00, the Procession of the Kiss. This ancient procession has perhaps originated from the tradition of Spanish religious or probably by the reports that have occurred during the transhumance with near Abruzzo. The statues of the Madonna and the Savior start respectively from the two churches opposite one to the beginning of the main course and the other at the end (San Domenico and San Francesco) to meet in the square in front of the Cathedral. They approach slowly and then retire twice. The third meeting, the statue of the Savior is made to bow at the feet of Our Lady for the final kiss, between the jubilation of the citizens and the sound of the band.
Patronal Feast
on 18, 19, 20 July takes place the traditional feast of the Patron Saints, which recalls the successful translation of the relics of the saints Eleuterio Pontian and Anastasio in the distant 19 July 1105 from the city of Tibera (LT) to Troy. These three saints became together with Saint Secondino, already the patron saint of the city, the patron saints of the city. In 1670 was elevated to the fifth patron saint of the town Sant'Urbano pope. The 5 busts of saints Patrons, in silver of the Neapolitan school, are carried in procession on the evening of 18 July along city streets. The following day in the Cathedral is held a solemn pontifical mass presided by the bishop and to the presence of the faithful and of the authorities. The whole city during these days of the wafer is gladdened with illuminations along the main roads, from flea markets, rides, shows of classical and modern music and fireworks.
The feast of Saint John of God
in 1588 was made in Troy the Hospital of St John of God Hospitaller Brothers, from which originated the cult of Saint John of God, founder of the Order, who later became the patron of the city. The 8 March of each year, a procession is held much felt by the citizens, especially because the Saint venerated is patron of the sick, hospitals, then of health. The veneration of the holy is so felt that to bring to shoulder the same takes place in the days preceding a real race, with extraction of lucky bearer, which in turn chooses the team that will lead the holy. The team, chosen in turn, will give a contribution that will be in favor of the Hospice. In procession is also brought a fragment of the arm of the holy.
