town and episcopal see, Puglia (Apulia) regione, southeastern Italy. It lies along the Adriatic Sea, northwest of Bari city. An important port in the Middle Ages and a free city for a time, it was sacked by the French in 1529. Although Molfetta is mainly modern, its outstanding Romanesque–Apulian-style Duomo Vecchio (Old Cathedral), a national monument, dates from the 12th and 13th centuries. Fishing, boatbuilding, food processing, and the manufacture of cement are important, and fish and vegetables are exported. Pop. (2006 est.) mun., 60,062.