Gravina in Puglia

About

Settled since the Paleolithic era, Gravina’s strategic location at the edge of a ravine and bountiful resources made it a desirable locale for every passing empire. The town has been famous for its wheat and wine since antiquity, even being given the motto "it offers wheat and wine", by Swabian Emperor Frederick II, whose 13th century hunting lodge still stands outside of town. The 11th century Gravina Cathedral can be found at the edge of the precipice, and houses a reliquary containing the arm of Thomas Becket. With many of the historic buildings carved from the living rock, a tour of the Gravina Sotterranea brings visitors under various houses and churches. The 10th century Chiesa rupestre di San Michele delle Grotte, along with its frescoes, contains a pile of bones attributed to local martyrs, but are more likely cadavers exhumed in the 17th and 18th centuries.