Gioia del Colle

The earliest evidence of human settlement in the area now known as Gioia del Colle dates back to the 9th century BC. Archaeological excavations have revealed that at that time a Peucetian village was located in the area of Monte Sannace, about 5 kilometres (3 mi) from Gioia). Monte Sannace site, 5 km away from the town in the direction of Turi, has been the subject of archaeological excavations since 1957 by the Superintendency of Antiquities in Apulia and Matera. The excavations, completed in 1961, have brought to light a settlement of the ancient Peucetian village dating back to the 9th century BC and which continues, with brief interruptions, until the Hellenistic-Roman period (approximately until the first century AD). The archaeological park includes some sections of the defensive circuits and the north gate, in addition to a good part of the town, numerous tombs and several buildings of the acropolis. The archaeological area is located at 4.5 kilometres from the provincial road "Gioia del Colle - Turi" (SP 61). The finds from the excavations are preserved in the National Archaeological Museum located inside the Norman-Swabian Castle.

The current town developed around an old Byzantine fortress. The placename, in fact, seems to derive from Joha, short for the surname Joannakis, a Byzantine family living in the area during the Middle Ages. However, there are many theories regarding the origin of this placename. One of the most famous local legends has it that Princess Bianca Lancia irretrievably lost all her jewels there, after being supposedly confined in the Castle of Gioia del Colle during her pregnancy with her son Manfred of Sicily under the suspicion of having been unfaithful to Frederick II.

The town grew further in the 12th century, during the time of Norman Count Richard of Hauteville, who built the castle. In the 13th century the fief was under the rule of Frederick II of Swabia, who rebuilt the castle.

Gioia del Colle was part of the principality of Taranto and a fief of the princes De Mari of Acquaviva delle Fonti until the abolition of feudalism.

• Mother church (chiesa madre), built in the late 11th century and initially dedicated to St. Peter. In 1764 it was destroyed by a fire, and rebuilt in the current Baroque style.
• Arches in the historical center.
• Boschi Romanazzi, a natural preserve managed by WWF Italia.

The economy of Gioia del Colle is centred on agriculture, dairy farming and commerce. The town is famous for its Fior di latte mozzarella and its Gioia del Colle Primitivo wine.

Red, white, rose, sweet dolce and fortified liquoroso wines are permitted in the Italian wine DOC of the area. Red and rose wine grapes are limited to a harvest yield of 12 tonnes/ha while white wine grapes are limited to a yield of 13 tonnes/ha. The reds and roses are a blend of 50-60% Primitivo, a 40-50% blend component of Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Negroamaro and Malvasia (with Malvasia being further limited to a 10% maximum). The whites are composed of 50-70% Trebbiano with other permitted local grape varieties, such as Pampanuto, making up the remainder. A varietal Primitivo wine is permitted, provided the wine is 100% composed of the grape with yields limited to 8 tonnes/ha and a minimum alcohol level of 13%. The dolce wine of the area is composed of at least 85% Aleatico with a 15% maximum blend component of Malvasia, Negroamaro and Primitivo making up the rest. The grapes must also be limited to a harvest yield of 8 tonnes/ha and have a minimum alcohol level of 15%. The liquoroso version must have a minimum alcohol of 18.5%.[3]

Monument to Sergeant Romano.

• Gigi Angelillo, actor.
• Ricciotto Canudo, intellectual and theorist of the cinema.
• Nicola Legrottaglie, Italian association football player.
• Maurizio Vasco, author and journalist, living in New York City.
• Bob Pisani, journalist CNBC, whose grandfather was from Gioia del Colle
• Sylvester Stallone, actor, whose father was born in Gioia del Colle before emigrating to the United States and grandfather of Dark Seba
• Sergeant Romano, of the Bourbon army. (it.)
• Sebastiano Cantore, actor and character of TV Series "Sebian"

Gioia del Colle Air Base hosts the 36th Italian Air Force Wing.

• The song L'onorevole Bricolle by Clara Jaione (1948), which Claudio Villa later famously interpreted,[5] is about the wry story of a fictitious "Honorable Bricolle, a Member of Parliament from Gioia del Colle".

• Târgovişte

• Official website