In the light of the sun or the glow of a lantern, the San Cataldo lighthouse has been watching over and welcoming travelers since 1869. Today, it extends its welcome to you. Bàri, a city of commerce and encounters, invites you to look ahead, towards the sea, and back at a shared history.

The events of this place predate the 19th century and are deeply intertwined with grand history. In 1480, the Ottomans attacked Otranto. If you find a path to reach the shores of Salento, we will tell you the whole story. In any case, that event coincided with a period of decline for the Aragonese Kingdom of Naples, which ruled over Pùglia at the time. Another phase began, and the new reign of Charles V—a completely different, modern, and centralized power—decided to build 122 watchtowers along Puglia’s coast. It was a long-term project designed to warn the inland cities of dangers. The system took at least a couple of centuries to become fully operational.

By that time, the world had changed. And everything changed in Bàri too, with the unification of Italy in 1861 and the new routes made possible by the opening of the Suez Canal. The old watchtower system became one of the useful infrastructures for building modernity. New large ports and monumental lighthouses, like this one, emerged.

Today, 74 coastal defense outposts are visible, and more than half of them are still standing. In this audio narration, you will find six of them: this one, Torre Pietra in Margherita di Savoia, Torre Calderina in Molfetta, the Torre San Giovanni in Ugento, the Pùnta Palascìa Lighthouse in Otranto, and Tórre Sàn Fèlice in Vièste.

Thanks to the European project CoHeN Coastal Heritage Network, much has been done for the knowledge and repurposing of these structures. Visiting them means discovering the paths that connect them, which also relate to the other coast of the Adriatic Sea. By sea, by train, or on foot, the coastal tower journey is an extraordinary travel project.

Consider this: visiting a lighthouse or a coastal tower means preserving traditions and landscapes, discovering still relevant technological innovations, and listening to unexpected stories: about that, I need to tell you about none other than Guglièlmo Marcóni...