The Big Rudder

Brindisi

Copyright: Alexander van Loon/Flickr
DESTINATIONS italy brindisi Do & See The Big Rudder

The Big Rudder

Built in 1933 at the peak of Mussolini’s regime, this memorial towering over Brindisi’s harbour survives as a monument to seamen lost during the two world wars. The monument mimics a giant rudder, beneath which a crypt in the shape of a ship’s hull bears the names of the 36,000 Italians lost at sea.

Do & See

The eighteenth-century Baroque period has left its own mark on towns such as Francavilla Fontana, Lecce and Ostuni. These towns are set on sunlit hilltops that rise like islands above a rolling landscape of olive groves and vineyards - do take time to explore those stunning places, using Brindisi as a base or even spending a night or two. Brindisi itself has, of course, a wealth of architectural sites and curious spots to explore - from old forts to remains of Roman presence to the lively port promenade.