Trani - Chiesa di Santa Teresa

Trani may have been founded by Greek settlers, but the known history starts late. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was dominated by Lombards, Byzantines, Saracens and again Byzantines. With the conquest of southern Italy by the Normans and after 50 days of siege by Robert Guiscard´s troops, Trani became part of the Norman Empire in 1073.

Already under the Byzantines, Trani had become an important port for trade with the Orient. The heyday was in the time of the crusades in the 12th and 13th centuries, when crusaders and merchants mainly went to the Holy Land from Bari and Trani. It became an episcopal see in place of Canosa, destroyed by the Saracens. Frederick II promoted the Teutonic Knights and the Jewish community and built a massive castle. Under his rule, the city reached its highest point of wealth and prosperity.

Two churches were in medieval times where now is the Baroque Chiesa di Santa Teresa. This was San Leone (12th c.) and San Marco, erected in the 14th century for merchants from Venice, who, as Trani was the seat of a consulate of Venice until the 16th century, formed a large colony in the city.

In 1642 the church passed to the Order of the Discalced Carmelites (aka "Teresians"), but a century later the church was in a dilapidated condition. The demolition was decided for the construction a new, larger church, that was was completed in 1764.