Lucera, Medieval commune in Apulia, Italy
Lucera is a commune in Apulia, in southern Italy, and sits on a plateau between the Tavoliere Plain and the Daunian Mountains. The old town spreads across several hills and is enclosed by fortress walls that clearly separate the historic core from the newer city area.
Roman troops founded a colony at this site in the 3rd century BC after they conquered the original settlement. In the 13th century Frederick II brought thousands of Muslim families from Sicily here, who formed a large community until 1300 and shaped the town.
The name comes from pre-Roman times and recalls the settlement of Luceria, which later grew under Roman rule and played an important role in Apulia. Today the churches and palazzi in the center show how generations of residents worked on the shape and appearance of the town.
The town area can be explored on foot, though the hills and slopes require comfortable shoes. In summer it can get very hot, so a visit in the cooler morning hours or late afternoon is advisable.
The cathedral was built on the ruins of a large 13th-century mosque and still partly uses its foundations. Some walls and arches inside show traces of the earlier Islamic architecture that remained beneath the Christian additions.
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