Gallipoli (source: Visual Puglia )
Gallipoli, in the province of Lecce, is located on the west coast of the Salento peninsula. It is divided into two parts: the Borgo, which is the new part of the city, and the Historic Centre built on an island of limestone and connected to the mainland via an arched bridge.
Gallipoli was once a Messapian centre called Anxa. It was subsequently occupied by the Romans and immediately became a highly important trading town in the sale of purple dyestuff, which was produced in the region.
For a long time Gallipoli remained loyal to its Greek culture by preserving its habits, rites and dialect: the Latin Rite, which had already been established in Salento from medieval times, only replaced the Greek Rite in the XVI century.
After the fall of the Roman empire, Gallipoli was sacked by the Barbarians, the Vandals and even the Goths, who were defeated and driven out by the Byzantines. The Byzantines were followed by the Suevians and Angionians, traces of whom are found in the restoration of the old Byzantine castle transformed into a fortress. The castle was further fortified by the Spanish during their occupation. The old part of present day Gallipoli, fortified by walls, towers and embankments, was subjected to numerous sieges. We recall the Venetian siege of 1484 and the French siege of 1528.
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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