Bovino

Bovino is a comune and hill town at the eastern side of the Apennines in the province of Foggia, Apulia, southern Italy.

Located within the woody Daunian Mountains as a terrace over the Tavoliere plains, Bovino is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy").

In 876, after the Byzantine reconquest, the walls around Bovino were rebuilt by Emperor Basil I, and the streets were laid out in their characteristic narrow design.

The villa communale is a municipal park with ponds and fountains, housing an extensive arboretum lined with horse chestnut trees.

The most ancient section is the chapel of San Marco in Ercana, housing the relics of this local patron saint.

As archbishop of Kraków, the future Pope John Paul II visited Bovino in 1965 together with eleven other Polish bishops.

Situated part way up hill from the main SS90 trunk road to Bovino, the Santuario has become a popular pilgrimage site.

This zone marks a boundary for the Tavoliere d'Italia, a large fertile plain famous for producing high quality durum wheat for pasta.

As a member of the society of "Italy's most beautiful villages", Bovino is recognised for its natural environment and archeological heritage.