Corso Vittorio Emanuele II (Vittorio Emanuele II Lane), Bari

Vittorio Emanuele II Lane (Corso Vittorio Emanuele II), a main road of Bari, runs about a half mile from the Margaret Theatre to Garibaldi Square. The lane has several governmental and cultural buildings along its length, including the Town Hall (Palazzo Dei Comune).

The 19th-century project envisaged by Ferdinand II, King of The Two Sicilies, was the construction of a "Bourbonic citadel" of public buildings. As it turns out, only the Prefecture building (Palazzo della Prefettura) and the Puccini Theater fit the bill. After the unification of Italy in 1861, the Ferdinando Road became Vittorio Emanuele II Lane.

In the latter part of the 19th century, the lane was widened and extended to Garibaldi Square in the west. In the 20th century, the Margaret Theatre (Teatro Margherita) was built at the east end, effectively blocking winds from the Adriatic Sea. It is a pleasant if busy street, with plenty of statues, palms, palaces, bars, and restaurants.