Identity: the «pearl of the Adriatic», a city that grew around its port
The Puglia Region's tourist guide calls Trani the «pearl of the Adriatic» and ties its history to the port, which made it an important trading centre between the 13th and 15th centuries, and to a Jewish community active in trade. After Venetian and Aragonese rule the city declined; in the 19th century, once the walls were pulled down, the 19th-century district grew.
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A city born around its port
According to the regional tourist guide, after the Romans Trani was ruled by Byzantines, Lombards and Normans. Between the 13th and 15th centuries it had a golden age thanks to a thriving port that made it an important trading centre; the historic core grew right next to the port. In the 16th century it came under Venice and then declined under the Aragonese, partly because trade shifted towards the Americas.
Giudecca and the Jewish community
The same guide recalls a Jewish community very active in trade and finance. The Giudecca (Jewish quarter) had four synagogues, most of them destroyed between the 15th and 16th centuries; the Scolanova now houses a museum.
City of art and 19th-century district
Trani has received the title of «città d'arte» (city of art) several times. In the 19th century the walls were pulled down and the city spread into the 19th-century district (borgo ottocentesco) next to the old town.
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Updated: 2026-10-22
Reviewed: 10/22/2026 · by piero.avolio · rev. 1 · Period: → 2027-10-31
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