BARLETTA, bfir-listqa (anciently, later Barolent). An island port, connected with the mainland by a bridge, on the Adriatic, in Southern Italy (Map: Italy, L 6). It is on the Bologna-Brindisi Railway, 35 miles northwest of Bari, with which it is also connected by a street railway. It is surrounded by ancient turreted walls, and has spacious squares and broad streets. The houses are high, with flat terraced roofs, and built mostly of sandstone. There are many beautiful Byzantine churches, among them the Cathedral of Sante Maria Maggiore, in which Ferdinand of Aragon was crowned. Interesting palaces are that of unhappy King Manfred, now turned into a convent, and the great castle con structed under Charles V. On the large square, facing the harbor, stands the celebrated bronze statue, 15 feet high. found in the sea and evi dently of Roman workmanship, said to be a likeness of Ileraclius, or Constantine, or Theo dosius. In another square is a monument to the statesman Massimo d'Azeglio, who died in NOG.
The inner harbor is accessible to small vessels only but there is good anchorage for larger ves sels in the roadstead which is protected by a mole, running out into the sea, on which stands a lighthouse. Barletta, has regular steamboat com munication with the other Adriatic ports, and exports grain, wine, oil, almonds, licorice, wool. and large quantities of salt. In 1503, during the war between Louis XII. and Ferdinand the Catho lie. when Barletta was besieged by the French, there took place outside the wall, according to all the rules of chivalry, the famous combat between 13 French knights and 13 Italian knights, led by Bayard, sans peer et suns reproebe, and Prospero Colonna respectively. Nine miles west of Bar letta. on the Ofanto, is Canne, the ancient Can ine, where in B.C. 2111 Hannibal inflicted a disas trous defeat on the Romans,. Population, in 1881, 33,179; in 1901 (commune), 42,022.