Bari is a port city on the Adriatic Sea, and the capital of southern Italy’s Pugliaregion.It is the second most important economic centre of mainlandSouthern ItalyafterNaples, and is well known as aportanduniversitycity, as well as the city ofSaint Nicholas.
Bari is made up of four different urban sections. To the north is the closely built old town on the peninsula between two modern harbours, with theBasilica of Saint Nicholas, theCathedral of San Sabino(1035–1171) and the Hohenstaufen Castle built forFrederick II, which is now also a major nightlife district. To the south is the Murat quarter (erected byJoachim Murat), the modern heart of the city, which is laid out on a rectangular grid-plan with apromenadeon the sea and the major shopping district (thevia Sparanoandvia Argiro).