The venue of the Symposium will be the Chamber of Commerce (Camera di Commercio) of Bari
Camera di Commercio di Bari
Corso Cavour n. 2
70121 – Bari
The Chamber of Commerce of Bari has been located at the beginning of Corso Cavour for 133 years, just a few steps from the Adriatic Sea that once lapped it. The idea of establishing a Chamber of Commerce in Bari dates back to the French domination (1806-1815). Due to its maritime location and its extensive business network throughout Italy, the capital of Apulia needed an institution to oversee transactions. Thus, the entity was established by decree no. 929 on March 27, 1849, by King Ferdinand II of Bourbon under the name Chamber of Commerce Consultation, which became the Chamber of Commerce and Arts in 1862.
In 1879, after lengthy negotiations with the Municipality of Bari, the adjacent land near the sea was obtained to build the new headquarters. The Chamber of Commerce was constructed with three floors, including the basement level, based on a quadrangular plan with an entrance on each of the four facades. The main facade, still distinguishable today, features the clock tower (one of the eight still functioning in the city), a distinctive element in most public buildings of the 19th century. Also notable are the elegant details and shell decorations on the pediments of the many windows on each floor. The entrance is marked by a large wooden door framed by wide Tuscan columns.
In November 1946, 15 ground floor rooms and some on the second floor of the building were leased to the faculties of Agriculture, Science, Engineering, and Business and Economics: classrooms that remained active until the late 1960s. Today, what can be admired inside the building is the result of careful restoration. In the atrium, the old clock mechanism from the tower, replaced years ago by an electric one, is displayed in a glass case. Also present are the ancient wooden bulletin boards with commodity prices: from almonds to figs, from olive oil to carobs. A few steps lead to the elegant inner courtyard often used as an event space. A series of white arches mark the perimeter of the large hall, similar to those on the upper floor windows characterized by elegant balustrades.
On the ceiling, an iron framework supports the large glass roof that illuminates the entire space, from which hangs the emblem of the Chamber of Commerce: a gray circle with the image of Saint Nicholas. This image is admired daily by the many entrepreneurs and professionals who enter this institutional temple, which has been witnessing Bari's transformation for decades.
