Roman Columns

The Roman Columns are the symbol of Brindisi: you'll find them on the rise overlooking the port, where the Via Appia ended, the road linking Rome to the city and to trade with the East. They appeared in the city's coat of arms as early as the fourteenth century.

Originally there were two, twins. On 20 November 1528 an earthquake brought one down; the pieces lay on the ground for more than a century and some were taken to Lecce to build a column there. The one still standing is 18.74 metres tall.

During the Second World War it was dismantled to protect it from the bombing, and between 1996 and 2002 it was taken apart again and restored. The capital at the top is a copy: you can see the original in Palazzo Granafei-Nervegna.