Colosso di Barletta
Colosso di Barletta
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
373 reviews
Excellent
175
Very good
146
Average
43
Poor
9
Terrible
0
Mira V
14 contributions
Sept 2021
The town of Barletta is a nice town in Puglia in southern Italy. It is quite big - about 100,000 inhabitants. Like everywhere, it is the old part of the town that is worth visiting. It has a few impressive buildings like the cathedral, but the most impressive sight is the statue of a Roman emperor (who has not been identified). The statue is more than 5 m tall and it is extremely well shaped, with attention to details. It is supposed to have been found on the shore in the 13th century, so it was supposedly sunk with a ship carrying it. Of course it was in a worse shape that it is today and it had to be repaired. Parts of the statue may have been altered, but this does not diminish the impression it creates. Truly magnificent.
Written October 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
plenipotentiary
30 contributions
Oct 2021
Quite a fabulous statue, much larger than life and reputedly more than 1500 years old - I was hugely impressed. Worth coming into Barletta to see, for sure. I've never seen anything remotely like it!
Written October 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Colin H
Manchester, UK444 contributions
Jun 2015 • Solo
Good news for visitors to Barletta! The fabulous Colosso di Barletta is no longer under wraps (I spent a couple of hours there on 14 June) and is now available again for close inspection. It really is a most extraordinary survival from the early Dark Ages. If only it could speak, what amazing stories it would be able to tell! I personally favour the theory that it once stood on top of the Column of Marcian in Istanbul, from where it was looted by crusaders in the early 13th century and then lost in a shipwreck en route from there back to Venice, before being washed up on the shore near Barletta. I am frankly amazed that it is still unprotected in the open air and that it has not been replaced by a copy and taken to a museum.
Written June 14, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cycleplus1
MIlton Keynes768 contributions
May 2019 • Couples
Nice to sit in the cafe opposite this bronze and admire it's grandeur.You can see. Where people have touched his boots over the years as they are all shiny.
Written May 11, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TheMarshal84
Liverpool, UK557 contributions
Mar 2019 • Solo
Standing as a sentinel and silent witness to the passage of time, Arè, as he is local known is Barletta’s most famous attraction, A Large Roman Bronze sculpture, 4.5 meters in height depicting an Emperor, dressed in the regalia and armour one would expect for the late Imperial period. Arè’s origins or even who he depicts are lost in the mists of time, the style, compassion and construction narrows his identity to half a dozen Emperors of the Later Roman Empire, But your guess is as good as mine. There are as many theories, as there are legends surrounding Arè, but at over 1600 years, he is allowed to have some secrets. Located in the splendid of the old town, left of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher (where it has stood since 1491), Arè is not to different to find for a look, chat and and photo or two. He can can be seen at any time and is free to visit.
Written May 3, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tedgatti F
Lytham St Anne's, UK1,295 contributions
May 2018 • Couples
We visited Barletta by Train from Trani just to see this statue and we were not disappointed.
A great bronze with a great history!
A great bronze with a great history!
Written June 27, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael C
Chicago, IL165 contributions
May 2018 • Couples
More than likely a bronze statue of an Eastern Roman(Byzantine) Emperor stolen from Constantinople after the decades long sack of the worlds richest city in 1204 by the renegade 4th Crusade. I made a special trip to Barletta to view this piece cast in the early 600s. I was not disapointed. While one can be outraged that such a magnificent piece is sitting ignored on a side street in a small town in Italy, at least it is intact and whatever the details has survived 1,400 years.
Written June 7, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pierre
Ixelles, Belgium16 contributions
Jul 2017
Went there with 4 kids. They were really excited. A must see in the city. It's just next the historic district that is worth a visite as well.
Written July 26, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maggerini
Sidcup, UK57 contributions
Jul 2016 • Couples
Cam across this imposing statue whilst out for a walk. It's 4 meters high, but they dont know who it is. Good photo opportunity.
Written July 27, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ron S
New York City, NY5,803 contributions
Apr 2016 • Couples
Interesting fate of this statue of a Roman emperor. It was excavated in Ravenna in the 13th century and transported to Barletta for some reason.
Written May 4, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The truth is that no-one really knows for certain. One possibility is that it represents the Emperor Marcian, who ruled the Eastern Roman Empire from 450 to 457. When Constantinople was sacked by crusaders in 1204, it is possible that they looted the statue, which once stood on top of a tall column. The ship carrying it was wrecked off the Adriatic coast of Italy, en route to Venice, and the statue was washed up on the shore near Barletta. After being salvaged, it was erected in the town centre. That, at least is one theory, though there are others. Whatever its background is, it is a remarkable survival from antiquity, as most bronze statues have been melted down. If only statues could speak, what stories they'd have to tell!
Written November 6, 2015
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