Nights of Archaeology – The Night of the Hypogea

Nights of Archaeology in Canosa di Puglia

Every summer, Canosa di Puglia, a city in the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani in the heart of Puglia, dedicates a series of evenings to its extraordinary archaeological heritage with the Nights of Archaeology festival. Evening openings, guided walks, and performances transform ancient Canusium into an open-air museum, where the history of the Daunians, Romans, and Byzantines comes to life among hypogea, parks, and monuments.

The Night of the Hypogea

The most anticipated moment of the festival is The Night of the Hypogea, dedicated to the famous underground chamber tombs that make Canosa one of the capitals of funerary archaeology in Southern Italy. Guided archaeological walks, organized in several evening time slots, take visitors to discover the Vico San Martino Hypogeum (4th-3rd century BC), the d'Ambra Hypogeum (4th century BC), and the Cerberus Hypogeum (3rd century BC), where augmented reality technology brings the fresco of the mythological three-headed dog back to life.

The Lagrasta Hypogeum

The heart of the evening is the Lagrasta I Hypogeum (4th century BC - 1st century AD), the most important funerary complex in Canosa and the entire region, consisting of three chamber tombs. Inside, the theatrical guided tour "Travelers in Hades" is performed, curated by Gianluigi Belsito and the Teatro del Viaggio: among the burial chambers, the great couples of myth—Paolo and Francesca, Aeneas and Dido, Orpheus and Eurydice—find their voice in a journey through poetry, history, and wonder.

A Widespread Event

The festival is not limited to just one night: throughout the summer, numerous events take place at the city's archaeological sites, from the San Leucio Archaeological Park to special openings of the National Archaeological Museum. The evenings combine scientific dissemination and entertainment, with live painting performances, tastings of local specialties, and dedicated menus in partner restaurants.

Organizers

The initiative is promoted by the Amici dell'Archeologia association with the patronage of the Municipality of Canosa di Puglia, the Fondazione Archeologica Canosina, Visit Canosa, the Italian Touring Club - Bari-BAT Territory Club, and the Puglia Region, as part of projects to enhance the cultural heritage of Puglia.

Why Attend

Visiting the hypogea at night, guided by archaeologists and actors, is an experience that combines historical rigor with emotion. For those who want to discover the most ancient soul of Puglia, far from the typical beach tourism routes, the Nights of Archaeology in Canosa are an unmissable event of the regional cultural summer.