The last itinerary will take you to Grecia's most significant historical town centres. Start at Zollino and cycle north alongside the railway lines on your left.

1. Visit Grecìa's
historic
town
centres
38km
cycle itinerary n°3

2. The last itinerary will take you
to Grecia's most significant
historical town centres.
Start at Zollino and cycle north
alongside the railway lines on
your left. This will take you to
Sternatia whose town centre is
very characteristic and not yet
well known to tourists. Sternatia
is the place where the Grika
language resists extinction!
You may hear it spoken by old
folk sitting outside a bar. The
roads in this town centre are
often very narrow, but perfectly
cyclable. Near Porta Filìa (the
gate of friendship or peace,
only remaining portion of the
fifteenth century town walls)
there is an underground olive
press. Until the beginning of
the nineteenth century large
quantities of lamp oil were
produced here, for combustion
purposes. The oil was shipped
out to Northern Europe from
the port of Gallipoli and was
used for street illumination. Just
outside the historic centre, in
Via Neviera, half hidden among
private houses, you will find the
Crypt of Saint Sebastian (1).
As you leave Sternatia cycling
south-west towards Soleto, see
how the countryside is barren
and bereft of olive trees. You will
approach Soleto from a recently
built residential area (but note
that in this modern part of
Soleto there are still visible
signs of pre-Roman (Messapic)
habitation). The historic
centre is of note. You will not
be able to miss the Guglia di
Raimondello, 40 metres high,
which dominates the town
centre and is visible from a great
distance. It is not a bell tower
but a mere manifestation of
prestige and power ordered by
Raimondo Orsini Del Balzo,
Prince of Taranto and Count
of Soleto. It was completed in
1397 but legend has it that it was
built in one night by demons
and gryphons who served the
magician Messer Matteo Tafuri.
The nearby church of Santo
Stefano (2) will appear much
more modest, but wait till you
get inside and see its medieval
frescoes which have recently
been restored.
Here too we suggest a possible
alternative to your itinerary.
Soleto is very near Galatina,
one of the pearls of the Salento.
It Is worth visiting if only to
admire the magnificent gothic
basilica of Saint Catherine of
Alexandria, whose frescoes
come from the school of Giotto
and Siena and are among the
most important ones in Italy.
If you feel like seeing some
local artisans at work on
ceramics (3), which they have
been doing since the Middle
Ages, you might want to pop
over to nearby Cutrufiano.
So back to our itinerary. Leave
Soleto behind and go along Via
Murica till you get to Corigliano
d'Otranto. The town centre is
dominated by the majestic castle
- Castello De' Monti, without
doubt one of the finest examples
of military architecture of Italy
in the fifteen hundreds. Its
splendid façade was renovated
by Duke Francesco Trane in
1667, to soften the look of a
building which no longer served
for defense. In the main hallway
you will find a description of
the allegorical statues which
decorate the building. Once
Visit Grecìa's
historic
town centres
cycle itinarary n°3 (38km)
Grecìa Salentina

3. you have visited the castle,
spend some time in the historic
centre admiring some of its
architectural jewels, the main
one being the splendid arch:
Arco Lucchetti in Vico Freddo,
richly decorated. Go through
the Caporta (from the Griko,
door to the south) and out of the
historic centre, continuing on to
Melpignano.
Following the itinerary you
will find yourself in front of the
Palazzo Marchesale De Luca,
with its walls, towers and moat.
It was called Palazzo Baronale
Castriota in the past. It was
finished in 1636 and recently
restored. Keep going till you get
to Piazza San Giorgio (4), one
of the rare porticoed piazzas in
Salento. The porticos were built
in the sixteenth century for use
by the Saturday market. The
town soon became an Important
commercial focal point in this
area of southern Italy, so much
so that it was known as “Napoli
Piccinna” (tiny Naples, which
was then the capital of the
kingdom).
From Melpignano we go
on to Castrignano, where
a historic centre of modest
dimensions compared with
others boasts of a notable castle,
Castello de Gualtieriis (5).
Continuing along the Strada
Comunale Pappo you will reach
Carpignano Salentino. Here you
must not miss the Crypt of Saint
Christina, perhaps one of the
most ancient places of Christian
worship in Puglia. The crypt
was frescoed several times over
the centuries and it is difficult to
tell when the painting started.
The fresco with the oldest date
is Cristo di Teofilatto, dating
back to 959, but it is definitely
not the oldest. The crypt can be
found along the old Via Traiana
Calabra, which has already been
mentioned (v. itinerary n°2).
Among the streets of the historic
centre you will come upon Vico
Giudeca. This name comes up
frequently in the Salento area
as indeed it does all over Italy.
The word giudeca, here and
elsewhere, indicates the Jewish
(Hebrew) quarter. The Jewish
community in Carpignano
was one of the most important
and most active in Puglia. In
fact the traditional name for
the inhabitants of this small
town is Hebrew. Seemingly the
fair of All Saints, one of the
most ancient fairs in Salento,
Just outside Sternatia, directed
North, you will find the
Church of the Madonna of the
Angels (7), most interesting
for its paintings.
*OPTIONAL EXTRA (a/r 4km)
was originally intended for
Jewish merchants who, during
the Kingdom of Naples, were
subjected to numerous civil and
economic restrictions. Before
leaving Carpignano, have a look
at the Imposing façade of the
Palazzo Ducale Ghezzi.
Leave Carpignano directed
North. You will see the Menhir
Grassi and will be able to see
one of the rarely visible parts of
the Via Traiana Calabra. Keep
going towards Martano.
Martano's historic centre is
divided into various quarters.
The oldest part is called La
Terra. The Catumerèa quarter
is well known for its courtyard
houses, houses built around
a common courtyard. This
kind of semi-public space is
witness to a way of life which
has now disappeared, where
space was shared and there
were relationships with the
community which transcended
one's own family (this concept
is known as ghetonìa in Griko).
Next to these neighbourhood
buildings are several noble
dwellings, which belonged to the
rich landowners who lived there.
The most notable are Palazzo
Andrichi-Moschettini, Palazzo
Pino, Palazzo Micali and
Palazzo Scarpa. In July at the
event known as Cortili Aperti
(open courtyards) you have the
chance to visit these palaces.
Martano loves to receive tourists
and you will find numerous B
and Bs as well as restaurants
with local specialities and shops
selling local produce.
So now leave Martano
and follow our itinerary
back to Zollino, through
the Archeological Park of
Apigliano (6).

5. The crypt dedicated to San
Sebastiano is private property
with access to the public. Its
origins are uncertain. The
paintings and style would
appear to belong to the twelfth
century, with some further
building up to the sixteenth
century. The underground
crypt is rectangular, dug into
rock and built around a central
pilaster, on which there are the
remains of a fresco depicting
Saint Sebastian. During the
centuries it has been used as
an olive press and as a shelter
during the second world war.
On the 20th of January, the day
of Saint Sebastian, the local
community shows its devotion
by filling the crypt with candles.
In-Cul.Tu.Re worked to evaluate
the state of conservation of
the crypt and of the frescos,
identifying the materials and
techniques used and assessing
damage, in order to contribute
to planned restoration.
(1) crypt of san sebastiano
sternatia (xiith -xvith cent.)
Sherazade Storymaker for travelling
Ilaria's vocal message (January 20th, 2014)
The church of Saint Stephen is
one of the finest examples of
late Gothic painting in Puglia,
with its walls completely
frescoed and several interesting
architectural elements,
where Greek and Latin rites
converge. The church was
probably built with Greek
worship in mind and was re-
touched in the late thirteen
hundreds by Raimondello
del Balzo-Orsini, who was
Count of Soleto. The frescos
portray saints of the eastern
and Roman churches, the life
of Christ and Saint Stephen
(the hagiographic cycle Is one
of the rarest examples in the
Otranto area), the Judgement
and other scenes. The paintings
are very similar to those in
the Basilica of Saint Catherine
of Alexandria in Galatina
and reveal other influences,
such as Venetian and Tuscan
schools, as well as Roman and
Neapolitan.
It is strongly recommended to
visit the website:
www.inculture.eu/
chiesadisantostefano
(2) Church of santo stefano
Soleto (xIvth cent.)
Sherazade Storymaker for travelling
La lettera di Sofia, prefica (9 settembre 1480)

6. Discover the map whit videos and extras:
www.inculture.eu/argilladicutrofiano
(3) l'arte di lavorare l'argilla
cutrofiano
Sherazade Storymaker for travelling
Il racconto di Antonio, pignataro (10 maggio 1760)
This is one of the very rare
porticoed piazzas in Salento.
The porticos were ordered
by Bishop Niccolò Maiorano
around the end of the 15th
century and until the early
1800s they housed a historical
market. As can be seen by
the old stalls in Lecce stone,
this square was an important
crossroads for merchants
coming from Naples, Bari and
Lecce and caused Melpignano
to be known as “La Napoli
Piccinna” (Tiny Naples).
Although no longer of
commercial importance,
the Piazza is still today an
important meeting place for
the inhabitants of Melpignano.
Locals have participated
en masse in a 12-month
long project for renovated
illumination of the piazza
and its porticos, called
Melpilight. In.Cul.Tu.Re has
been busy checking the state of
preservation of the porticoes
through thermographic
investigation.
Descover Melpilight Project on
website:
www.inculture.eu/melpilight
(4) piazza san giorgio
melpignano (xvth cent.)
Sherazade Storymaker for travelling
Ciro's tale, linen merchant (June 26st, 1580)

7. This castle, built on a square
during the Middle Ages, was
known - according to unofficial
history - as a "very strong
site of defense to repel enemy
attacks" at the time of the
Angioini.
From the fifteen hundreds
onwards the castle was subject
to a number of alterations.
In.Cul.Tu.Re. undertook
research to assess the state of
conservation and movement
of the building, now mainly
used for events and cultural
activities since it is ideally
suited to artistic occasions. In-
Cul.Tu.Re. chose the castle as
focal point for a photographic
collection dedicated to views in
Grecia Salentina.
In August 2014 the castle
hosted a photographic
exhibition entitled "From
here you cannot see the sea -
landscapes of Grecia Salentina"
www.daquinonsivedeilmare.it
(5) castello de' gualtieriis
castrignano de' greci (XVIth cent.)
Sherazade Storymaker for travelling
Giuseppe’s letter, peasant (May 8th, 1732)
Apigliano is an archeological
site to be found between Mar-
tano and Zollino. It bears the
remains of a village dating
back to medieval times, inha-
bited from the seventh century
on and then abandoned. The
excavations carried out by the
archeologist Paul Arthur from
the University of Salento have
discovered a rural dwelling place
which was initially isolated but
from the ninth century onwards
became part of a busy mercanti-
le exchange as can be seen from
the byzantine coins, ceramics
and jewels which are similar to
those highly fashionable in Na-
ples, London, Paris and Lisbon.
At Apigliano, as in most of the
Salento region, Latin and Greek
were the ecclesiastical langua-
ges. From the fifteenth century,
the village seems to have been
abandoned. It is not clear why,
but one cause could have been
the Black Death, which deva-
stated the area In 1348. The
populace moved to better built
villages and towns, with roads,
walls and sometimes castles.
Tradition has it that those who
abandoned Apigliano gradually
established the towns of Marta-
no and Zollino.
Our project In.Cul.Tu.Re has
developed a system for (with tri-
dimensional models, videos and
detailed information cards). This
virtual visit can be downloaded
using the AR-Media application
and is an innovation in the area
of Grecia Salentina in terms of
technology for archeology. On
your smartphone you will be
able to see 3D reconstructions
of chuches, tombs and other
remains
Download: AR-media
Visit: www.inculture.eu/
parcoarcheologicoapigliano
(6) apigliano Martano
(vIth - XVIth cent.)
Sherazade Storymaker for travelling
Angelica's letter (February 9th, 1283)

8. This church is about a kilometre
from the centre of Sternatia,
in the direction of Galugnano.
It was built between the 16th
and 17th centuries and was
constructed on the ruins of
a country church which was
annexed to the Franciscan
convent which was subsequently
destroyed. Part of the front of
the church was demolished
when the nearby road was
extended. Inside there are
interesting wall paintings sadly
hidden in part by subsequent
layers.
The church is of great spiritual
value to the inhabitants of
Sternatia and according to
tradition contains a fresco
of the Virgin considered
miraculous. Tradition calls
upon the locals to gather
nearby the church on the first
Thursday after Easter to honour
the Madonna with a festa.
Records of a pastoral visit in
1608 mention a procession on
the day of the “feria quinta post
Pascha”.
In-Cul.Tu.Re.'s research was
designed to evaluate the state
of conservation of the building,
its eventual movements and
to study the mural decoration
in terms of materials and
techniques used and the extent
of deterioration.
(7) chiesa of the madonna
degli angeli
sternatia (xvith cent.)
Sherazade Storymaker for travelling
Valentino's letter, student (April 7th, 1990)
Visit Grecìa's
historic
town centres
cycle itinarary n°3 (38km)
Realization by
In-Cul.Tu.Re.
Francesco De Matteis
Lavinia Donateo
Paola Durante
Sofia Giammaruco
Gabriele Miceli
Gabriele Montinaro
Maria Federica Stifani
Supervision by
Alberto Giammaruco | CRESCo
Texts
Igor Legari, Marco Leo Imperiale,
Lavinia Donateo, Paola Durante,
Sofia Giammaruco, Gabriele Miceli,
Maria Federica Stifani.
Graphic design
Alberto Giammaruco | CRESCo
Cartography
Rino Carluccio
Photos
Marco Rizzo
Translations
Alexandra Wright
© 2015 Progetto In-Cul.Tu.Re. / MIUR
www.inculture.eu
contributi credits
a project by
in cooperation with
cofunded by
In-Cul.Tu.Re. project is funded by the MIUR
under the program Miur “Smart Cities and
Communities and Social Innovation”.
PON04a3_00390
PON “Ricerca e Competività” (PON “R&C”)
2007 - 2013 Avviso D.D. 84/Ric del 2/3/2012
Asse II: “Sostegno all’Innovazione” - Ob. Op.
4.2.1.3 “Azioni Integrate per lo Sviluppo
Sostenibile e la Diffusione Della Società
Dell’Informazione”.
In-Cul.Tu.Re. Lecce, via S. Lupinacci, 1
73100 | progettoinculture@gmail.com
NOTE
Download the special contents and GPX files for your GPS device from www.inculture.eu
listen the storytelling about the itineraries in sherazade
www.sherazadesalento.com/app
download the special features about the itineraries
www.inculture.eu

9. PON04a3_00390
Programma Operativo Nazionale “Ricerca e Competività” (PON “R&C”) 2007 - 2013 - Avviso D.D.
84/Ric del 2 marzo 2012 Asse II: “Sostegno all’Innovazione” - Obiettivo Operativo 4.2.1.3 “Azioni
Integrate per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile e la Diffusione Della Società Dell’Informazione”.
NOTe
Download the special contents and GPX files for your GPS device from www.inculture.eu
listen the storytelling about the itineraries in sherazade
www.sherazadesalento.com/app
download the special features about the itineraries
www.inculture.eu