September 13, 2022 at 8:00 am · Filed under international travel, italy, tourism, travel and tagged: colossus of barletta, short reads, travel writing
By Linda Tancs
Nearly three times the actual size of its subject, the Colossus of Barletta in Italy is a bronze statue of a Roman emperor (thought to be Theodosius II) in Barletta’s city center. An icon of the city, the 16-foot-high structure is also known as “the Giant.” Legend has it that the statue was found in 1204 on a rock in the port of Barletta following the sinking of a Venetian ship returning from a crusade. The more sensible explanation for its appearance is that it was transported to Puglia from Ravenna by imperial decree to serve as an embellishment. You’ll find it in front of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher.