Discover Altamura: Culture, Landscapes and Earth History

Altamura combines impressive historical landmarks with the landscapes of the Alta Murgia and a deeply rooted farming food culture. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Altamura, you will find a destination that brings together cultural discoveries, geological topics and regional traditions in a variety of ways. The changing interplay between historical exhibitions, extraordinary natural formations and traces of a very distant geological past is particularly fascinating.

Holiday apartment in Altamura for cultural discoveries

A central cultural landmark is the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Altamura. It was built in 1232 at the behest of Frederick II and is one of the four Palatine basilicas in Apulia. Its portal features 22 Gospel scenes from the life of Jesus. Architectural history and visual representation come together here directly, giving a stay in Altamura a distinctly historical focus.

Several museums provide deeper insight into the city and its surrounding area. The MUDIMA – Museo Diocesano Matronei Altamura – comprises several departments that present the historical and artistic heritage of the city of Altamura. The Museo Nazionale Archeologico di Altamura brings together archaeological finds from across the Alta Murgia dating from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages. In the hamlet of Pontrelli, you will also find the Cava delle Orme dei Dinosauri, an abandoned quarry with more than 20,000 well-preserved dinosaur footprints from the Cretaceous period, dating back approximately 70 million years.

Landscapes and speleology around Altamura

The Lamalunga Visitor Centre is located in the Alta Murgia National Park, 3 km from the town of Altamura. Its exhibition and educational programmes provide information about karst phenomena, the environment of the Alta Murgia and speleology. Excursions to the entrance of the Grotta dell'Uomo are also possible from the Lamalunga Visitor Centre. This makes the site a gateway to the region's geological features and to landscape-related topics extending beyond the urban area.

The Pulo di Altamura is also one of the area's distinctive natural formations. It is considered a collapse doline, formed by the collapse of the roof of an underground cavity. The term describes a depression shaped by geological processes and draws attention to the underground cavities and karst phenomena of the Alta Murgia.

Regional tradition on the plate

Pane di Altamura DOP is part of Altamura's local character. It is a symbol of the agro-pastoral culture of the Alta Murgia and closely connected with the farming traditions of the area where it is produced. For you, regional history is therefore visible not only in museums and buildings, but also in a culinary tradition linked to the rural life of the surrounding area.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Altamura, you can take these different focal points into account when planning your trip. Those interested in culture will find several historical points of access in the cathedral, MUDIMA and the archaeological museum; those more interested in landscapes and earth history can focus on Lamalunga, the Grotta dell'Uomo, the Pulo di Altamura and the dinosaur footprints of Pontrelli. Pane di Altamura DOP adds a regional tradition to this selection. This allows you to base your accommodation choice on your preferred combination of urban history, nature-related topics and culinary discovery, without prescribing a single daily itinerary.

Altamura also offers different thematic levels for days planned together: the cathedral and museums represent vivid cultural history, while Lamalunga and the Pulo di Altamura make geological connections tangible. With its approximate age of 70 million years, the Cava delle Orme dei Dinosauri adds a distinctive highlight.

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