164 Route U. BRINDISI. From Ancona
the altar of S. Itocco is a picture by Tintoretto and opposite to
it one by Paolo Veronese. The lofty campanile resembles the
Moorish tower of Seville. — The next station is Noicattaro; then
Mola, on the coast. Farther on, Polignano, situated on a lofty-
rock. Then Monopoli, with 16,000 inhab., seat of an archbishop.
The cathedral contains a St. Sebastian by Palma Vecchia.
From Bari to Taranto see R. 16.
The prosperous town of Fasano (11,022 inhab.) is the first in
the Terra d'Otranto. Then Ostuni, with 15,392 inhab. Stat.
S. Vito, and finally
Brindisi (Hotel d'Orient, near the harbour; Hotel d'Angleterre),
the ancient Brentesion or Brundisium, signifjing "stag's head/' an
allusion to the form of the harbour which encloses the town in
two arms. This once populous seaport, the usual point of em-
barcation for Greece (Dyrrachium) and the East, founded according
to tradition by Cretans from Cnossus, or according to others by
jEtolians under Diomedes. is now a small fortified town, seat of
a bishop, and since 1845 a free port. The extensive and excel¬
lent harbour is undergoing improvement. Near it are remains of
a temple of Neptune. The surrounding district is fertile and well
cultivated, but unhealthy, owing to the deposit of mud in the
harbour and the consequent formation of marshes in the environs.
The Castello with its massive round towers was founded by the
emp. Frederick II. and strengthened by Charles V. The remar¬
kably picturesque remains of a circular church, with colonnades
and decorated with frescoes, are still preserved. In the Cathedral
the nuptials of Frederick II. with Jolantha took place in 1225.
Interesting reminiscences of ancient times are connected with the
name of this town, which at a very early period was colonized
by Tarentines and B. C. 245 became subject to Rome. Here
terminated the Via Appia. Horace describes in his Sat. I. 5 his
journey by this route from Rome to Brundisium in the train of
Maecenas, who wished to be present at the conclusion of a new
alliance between Augustus and Antony at Tarentum.
Brundisium was the birthplace of the tragic poet Pacuvius,
and here Virgil died, B. C. 19, on his return from Greece. In
the middle ages its harbour frequently afforded shelter to the fleets
of the crusaders, but it subsequently fell to decay, especially after
its destruction by Louis of Hungary in 1348 and the fearful earth¬
quake of 1458, which buried the greater number of the inhabi¬
tants in the ruins. Brindisi possesses a public library, presented
by a bishop de Leo, a native of the place. The vessels of the
Austrian '-Lloyd" company touch at Brindisi on their route to Corfu
and Patras; so also the government-steamers on the passage from
Ancona to Messina, which proceed hence by Corfu and Gallipoli.
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