Giardini Peripato (Peripato Gardens), Taranto

The Peripato gardens are a park in the city of Taranto. They occupy an area of almost five hectares located in Borgo Umbertino, close to the Mar Piccolo. The name refers to the school of Aristotle (from the Greek perìpatos ) of which the Taranto scientist and politician Architas was an important exponent. Present at least since the end of the 17th century under the name of the garden of Sant'Antonio, owned by the de Beaumont family, it was mainly made up of citrus groves and other fruit trees, close to the Mar Piccolo where the family owned mussel and oyster farms. In 1832, through their last descendant, the de Beaumonts joined the noble Bonelli family of Barletta and, mainly at the behest of the bride, the area thus became a holiday residence with representative functions. It was on this occasion that small columns, steps and vaults were introduced which are still only minimally present in the gardens. In the first decades of the twentieth century, the site passed to the Municipality of Taranto which wanted to create a Municipal Villa. Seats, further columns and a bust of Leonardo da Vinci from a ship sunk in the Mar Piccolo during the First World War were placed. The following year the open-air theater La Pineta was created, then transformed into a cinema and still has the function of a theatre. Remains of housing structures dating back to the early imperial age have been found. There are native plant species such as Aleppo pines, plane trees, lime trees, cypresses and holm oaks. Horse chestnuts, palms, magnolias, cedars and American cypresses have also recently been introduced.

The site dominates the Mar Piccolo, close to the convent of Sant'Antonio. The area, measuring just under 5 hectares, rests on a bank of limestone rock, while deeper down there are banks of Bradano clay. The surface is mainly flat, with modest differences in height; the side facing the inland sea, to the north, has an escarpment completely covered by vegetation, with a balcony with a breathtaking view. The name Villa Peripato refers to the Aristotelian Peripatetic school (from the Greek perìpatos , place where one walks), of which the philosopher and mathematician from Taranto Architas was an illustrious exponent; the teacher held his lessons by walking and discussing together with the students.

The Peripato gardens occupy an area of almost five hectares located in the Borgo Umbertino, close to the Mar Piccolo. Present at least since the end of the 17th century under the name of Saint Anthony's Garden, owned by the de Beaumont family, it was mainly made up of citrus groves and other fruit trees. In 1832 the area became a holiday residence with representative functions. In the first decades of the twentieth century, the site passed to the Municipality of Taranto which wanted to create a Municipal Villa. Seats, columns and a bust of Leonardo da Vinci from a ship sunk in the Mar Piccolo during the First World War were placed. Remains of housing structures dating back to the early imperial age have been found. There are native plant species such as Aleppo pines, plane trees, lime trees, cypresses and holm oaks. Horse chestnuts, palms, magnolias, cedars and American cypresses have also recently been introduced.

The Peripato gardens are the green heart of the city and constitute one of the reasons of pride for the Municipal Administration, which strongly desired and carried out their restoration. After 20 years of neglect, this enchanting corner of greenery, which overlooks the blue Mar Piccolo, has flourished again. The public gardens officially became the property of the Municipality in 1913, but already in 1863 the Beaumont family transformed the pre-existing vegetable gardens into a lush villa. Today, among the palm trees and lush pines, the colors of seasonal and perennial flowers have returned, the symmetry of bushes and flowerbeds, the pond is animated by ducks and geese, and the games make children happy. ***PH***