Castro (Apulia)

Castro
Country	Italy
region	Apulia
province	Lecce  (LE)
Coordinates	40 ° 1 ′  N , 18 ° 24 ′  E Coordinates: 40 ° 1 ′ 0 ″  N , 18 ° 24 ′ 0 ″  E
height	98  m slm
surface	4.44 km²
Residents	2,344 (Dec. 31, 2019)
Population density	528 inhabitants / km²
Post Code	73030
prefix	0836
ISTAT number	075096
Popular name	Castrensi or Castrioti
Patron saint	Annunciation (April 25)
Website	Castro

View of Castro

Castro is a south-eastern Italian municipality ( comune ) with 2344 inhabitants (as of December 31, 2019) 98 m above sea level on the Pizzo Mmucurune in the province of Lecce in Apulia . The municipality is located about 35 kilometers south-southeast of Lecce in Salento on the Adriatic coast . Numerous grottos and a small port are located there.

history

The city is connected with the ancient place Castrum Minervae , which has been handed down in literature ( Virgil , Aeneis 3, 523-53 I). Perhaps originally settled by Pelasgians , the ancient city was founded by the Messapians . In the 2nd half of the 4th century BC An area of ​​three hectares was surrounded by a block wall, of which a 700 m long section has been preserved in the Località Muraglie and in the Località Capanne . The lower layers and part of one of the gate pillars are still visible in the later fort walls. Two blocks with a Messapic building inscription of the 4th – 3rd centuries were placed in the masonry. Century BC Found, which presumably reproduces names. In the fort area there was also an altar with a Messapic inscription. In addition to ceramic shards, lance tips and nails, an approximately 13 cm high bronze athena statuette, which is kept in the depot of the University of Salento, came to light. The ceramic shards of Japygic-geometric, Corinthian, Attic black- and red-figure vessels and Corinthian amphorae prove the early use of the place and the contact of the inhabitants to sea traders with Greek goods. Black veneered and achrome vessels and painted local goods belong to the time of the fortified settlement and Italian and African shards and lamps to the Roman period. In addition to the traces of the Messapic fortification, a gable block with a triglyph , which is to be added to a gable of at least 5.20 m in length, testifies that a small temple-like building in Doric order also stood in Castro. Several ancient sources report a sanctuary of Minerva on the Japygian promontory. 123 BC The settlement became Roman.

During the Byzantine rule, the city suffered numerous attacks from Ostrogoths, Vandals, Goths, Lombards and Hungarians. When the Arabs conquered the city, they named it Al Qatara ("the castle"). From 1270 Castro was part of the Principality of Taranto .

Castro Castle

Until 1818 Castro was the seat of a bishop.

The fort

• The castle in its current form was built on the orders of Alfonso Castriota and according to the design of the builder Evangelista Menga and strengthened as a fortress by Gian Giacomo dell'Acaja around 1540 on behalf of the Viceroy of Naples, Pedro Álvarez de Toledo .

Nearby is the Zinzulusa cave .

Web links

Commons : Castro  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Statistiche demografiche ISTAT. Monthly population statistics of the Istituto Nazionale di Statistica , as of December 31 of 2019.