Ugento (source: Visual Puglia )
Ugento, in the province of Lecce, stands on the Ionian sea, with almost eight kilometre of coastline , most of which is sandy. Characterised by a lack of bodies of water, its land is dotted with wells for drawing water from underground. The first traces of the town date back to around one thousand years before Christ, when the city was known by the name Ozan and its inhabitants worshipped Zeus, as seen by the numerous remains of temples and statues dedicated to the god. Other archaeological remains include the Cyclopean masonry, built for defensive purposes, 14 metres high and 8 wide, which demonstrate the presence of Messapi in the area. Ugento experienced its greatest splendour at that time, becoming an important trading centre, a military power and an practically impregnable city. Its decline started with the rivalry with Taranto, against which it fought long, bloody battle which led to the decimation of the local population. The city was completely wiped out by the Romans, who did not forgive the population for having offered to help Hannibal, with supplies and landing in Italy.
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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