The awarding of the design services contract for the restoration and redevelopment of the historic paving in the urban fabric of the Old Town of Taranto represents another opportunity for us to demonstrate our well-established expertise in the revitalisation of some of the most fascinating and historically rich town centres in Italy. The "Via di Mezzo" runs along the base of the ancient natural slope that marked the northern boundary of the Greek and later Roman urban area, known as the "salto di quota."
This street has always played a significant role due to its position, longitudinally dividing the city into districts known as "pittaggi." Both the Greek and Byzantine fortifications were designed to protect the upper part of the peninsula, with reinforced towers near the gates and connecting posterns, likely creating the need for a roadway serving the accesses to the "Mar Piccolo" as early as this phase. Thus, it is to the Byzantine refoundation that the creation of the road axis, which "stands in the middle" between the upper and lower "pittaggi", can be traced. Numerous archaeological findings have been documented along or near this main thoroughfare. "Via Duomo" represents the main road axis of the entire urban area of the Old Town. This road runs longitudinally across the current island, connecting the western and eastern sectors via two bridges.
The significance of this road axis, along which all four ancient districts were located, is also evident from the placement of major places of worship and monastic complexes along its route, as well as the main architecturally significant private buildings with direct frontage or access via nearby secondary roads.