Capurso: Festivals, Church Art and Local Cuisine

Capurso can be explored through its recurring festival traditions, religious architecture and art, and local food culture. If you’re looking for a hotel in Capurso, the focus of your trip can help guide your planning: the August celebrations, churches and traditional dishes each offer a different perspective. The following topics provide practical pointers to help you choose.

Fanoje and the Festa Grande

The largest and most important Fanoje bonfire in Capurso is lit in Piazza Gramsci. A food trail leads through the historic center around the fire. Tastings include Sfogliata di cipolle, taralli, wines and other traditional dishes; the exact selection may vary from one edition to another. In this way, the Fanoje tradition combines a bonfire with a walk where local cuisine also plays a part.

Another occasion is the Festa Grande della Madonna del Pozzo. It takes place on the last Sunday in August and commemorates the discovery of the image of the Madonna in 1705. Sunday’s program includes a procession with the Carro Trionfale and a fireworks display. If you’d like to plan your trip around the Festa Grande, check the dates and program in advance.

Madonna del Pozzo: Chapel and Basilica

The Cappella del Pozzo was built above the Pozzo di Santa Maria, where the holy icon was found. Its foundation stone was laid on May 9, 1858, by order of King Ferdinand II. The interior has been preserved in its original form as the inside of a well. The grotto niches also contain ten paintings created in 1852 by set designers from the Teatro San Carlo in Naples.

The Basilica della Madonna del Pozzo offers further insight into Capurso’s religious history through its artworks. It was designed by G. Sforza of Bari and completed in 1770. The basilica houses a Byzantine icon found in the Pozzo di Santa Maria in 1705. The bronze portal also tells the story of the Madonna del Pozzo: made in 1970 at the De Luca foundries in Naples, it depicts her story.

SS Salvatore and the Festa di San Giuseppe

The mother church dedicated to SS. Salvatore was built in the mid-16th century with the involvement of Queen Bona Sforza. The Chiesa del SS. Salvatore houses a wooden statue of San Giuseppe, commissioned from Carlo Cinzio Altieri in 1725. On the feast day of the Festa di San Giuseppe, the statue is carried in a procession; in Capurso, the festival is celebrated at the end of May. The same church also houses the painting “L’altra adultera,” attributed to Paolo Finoglio’s workshop.

Local cuisine and everyday history

Polpette di Capurso are a traditional dish made with stale bread, ground beef, eggs, grated cheese and garlic. Their origins are linked to making use of leftovers. At Polpette & Beat, meatballs are enjoyed as a typical street food in Capurso; locals and tourists walk through the town carrying bags full of small meatballs. If you’re traveling for this occasion, check in advance whether the date and program details have been confirmed.

The Museo Etnografico features the exhibition “Arti contadine e antiche civiltà,” with objects related to historic trades and everyday items from the 19th and 20th centuries. The frescoes in the Grotta di Santa Barbara offer another glimpse into local history: they indicate that the earliest traces of Capurso’s existence date back to around the year 1000. Together, these topics offer two distinct perspectives: traditional work and everyday life on the one hand, and early traces of settlement on the other.

Discover more destinations: Ruvo Di Puglia, Triggianello, San Bartolomeo, Grumo Appula, La Pergola, Spinazzola, Andria, Santeramo In Colle

For the broader travel overview: Bari.