Sights in Otranto

1. Spiaggia Azzurra

   • Otranto, Italy
   • Sights › Other

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2. A Map

   Diocesan Museum

   • Otranto, Italy
   • Sights › Museum

   Just opposite the cathedral is the small diocesan museum where you can see segments of a 4th-century Roman mosaic that was recently discovered under the cathedral floor.

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3. B Map

   Chiesa di San Pietro

   • Otranto, Italy
   • Sights › Religious, spiritual

   Within the tiny Chiesa di San Pietro are more vivid Byzantine frescoes. It is signposted off the corso. If it’s closed, ask for the key at the cathedral.

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4. C Map

   Castle

   • Otranto, Italy
   • Sights › Castle

   The well-restored and central Aragonese castle, is a squat thick-walled fort, with the Charles V coat of arms above the entrance. There are some faded original murals and original canon balls on display, plus good views from the ramparts.

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5. D Map

   Cathedral

   • Otranto, Italy
   • Sights › Architecture

   Don’t leave Otranto without visiting the extraordinary Romanesque cathedral, built by the Normans in the 11th century, though given a few facelifts since. A vast 12th-century mosaic covers its floor, a stupendous tree of life balanced on the back of two elephants. It was created by a young monk called Pantaleone (who had obviously never seen an elephant), whose vision of Heaven and Hell encompassed an amazing (con) fusion of the classics, religion and plain old superstition, including Adam and Eve, Diana the huntress, Hercules, King Arthur, Alexander the Great, and a menagerie of monkeys, snakes and sea monsters. Don’t forget to look up; the cathedral also boasts a…

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