Castrignano de' Greci (source: Visual Puglia )
The municipality of Castrignano dei Greci, in the province of Lecce, is one of the nine municipalities of the so-called Grecia Salentana, the Greek speaking area of Salento. Its origins go far back in time, taking on a somewhat legendary atmosphere. The name of the town seems to come from the Latin "castrum" (camp) or from the Greek "kastron" (castle). The Greek Catholic rite was practiced here until 1614; then, with the death of Don Menelao Pensa, the village passed to the Latin rite. However, the parish church of Castrignano was controlled by Greek priests much after that date. There are many Byzantine churches scattered throughout the territory of the municipality, which were destroyed: Santa Maria dei Martiri, S. Stefano, S. Maria delle Puzzelle and S. Anastasia. In the Middle Ages, Castrignano was donated to Peter Indrimi and later passed into the hands of the Prato, Maresgallo and Gualtieri families. The present history of the municipality tells of a Hellenic language and culture protection and improvement project in southern Italy: the Grika language, once particularly used in these areas, was gradually lost, particularly due to the massive migrations that took place after World War II. The lack of a serious written archive and the impoverishment of the popular tradition have led to the birth of movements for the defence Greek culture and traditions that are involving an increasing number of municipalities of this area of Apulia.
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Sun, sea, wind. Nature strikes in the first place, when one gets to this land stretch in balance between two seas. Salento has its core in the province of Lecce, - a Baroque Florence in Southern Italy – and reaches the provinces of Brindisi over the Adriatic Sea, and Taranto on the Ionian Sea side. The cities and inland towns expressions of the unique Lecce Baroque with Messapi and Salento Grecìa can still be seen. Its language, songs and feasts still show the culture of Graecia Magna. Surf, kite-surf and windsurf lovers never miss the beaches facing the Alimini lakes, while scuba diving fans just have to choose among the several equipped centers and charming sea beds of the Ionian coast as well as of the area between Otranto and Santa Maria di Leuca.
Church and hermitage of Santa Maria of the Angels - Scorrano
Lighthouse and aqueduct - Santa Maria di Leuca
Salento coast is characterized by a high variety in landscapes: the clear, fine sand beaches of Santa Cesarea seafront; famous caves such as Castro cave with its Grotta Romanelli, one of the most important Italian prehistoric settlements, and Grotta Zinzulusa, 'the pearl of caves', owing its name to the dialect word 'zinzuli', ('rags'), used by fishermen to indicate its beautiful stalactites and stalagmites
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Baroque style affirmed in Apulia during Counter-Reformation upon the will of Roman Church. A way of exalting Catholic symbols, Lecce and Nardò Baroque has its own characteristics that make it different from the same artistic style in other regions. Its peculiarities derive from the use of amber-colored Lecce stone as well as decorations used to mask the structures on which they are mounted
In Southern Apulia, at the heart of Salento, nine municipalities united to save what is still left of the ancient Grika culture. In this area of Salento there can still be found traces of Graecia Magna Grika language spoken in the Basilian convents dismantled after the council of Trent
Project created in collaboration with InnovaPuglia.
Regione Puglia
Regione Puglia