Fodor's Expert Review MArTA ‒ Museo Archeologico Nazionale Taranto

Taranto's outstanding National Archaeological Museum (MArTA) occupies the historic premises of the ex-monastery of San Pasquale. The museum dates from 1887, and its collection of Greek and Roman antiquities is considered to be one of the most important in Italy. Many artifacts were discovered in the vicinity, testifying to the city's centuries-old importance as a port. Admire the rich cache of tomb goods, including magnificent gold jewelry, polychrome terra-cotta, objects in ivory and bone, and rare colored glass. A display of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim funeral epitaphs, dating from the 4th to 11th century, demonstrate the peaceful coexistence of the three religions in this multicultural Mediterranean hub from the Byzantine era to the Middle Ages.