Origins and History
Among the most beautiful villages in Italy, nestled in the folds of the Apulian land and just a breath away from the sea, lies a small town with just over five thousand inhabitants. Its history is rooted in distant times: it was founded between 870 and 963, in a natural hollow that made it invisible to enemies coming from the sea. A strategic choice, dictated by the need to defend against Saracen raids.
Over the centuries, this village became land of the Templars. Their presence left a deep mark, made of spirituality and military power. When the Templar order fell, the Knights of Malta took over. They guaranteed protection to the inhabitants against the threats of Turkish pirates and at the same time fostered the town’s development. Under their guidance, the village experienced a period of prosperity, strengthening its identity and its bond with the sea.
Today, walking through the narrow alleys and stone houses, one can still breathe the atmosphere of those distant centuries. Every corner tells the story of a place that, though small, played an important role in the events of the Mediterranean. It is a village that preserves memory and beauty, suspended between past and present, between the quiet of the countryside and the blue of the sea.
The Heart of the Village
The journey to discover the village begins at Piazza del Popolo, the beating heart of the town, today completely redeveloped. Here stands the Palazzo dei Commendatori, also known as the Castle of the Knights of Malta, built in 1368 by the will of the very Knights who marked the history of this place.
To reach the palace, one walks along Via Umberto I, where an ancient arch introduces the visitor into a suggestive courtyard. In the past, this space housed a votive chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Visitation, a testimony to the deep religiosity that accompanied the daily life of the inhabitants.
The Castle is spread over two floors: the upper floor housed the private rooms of the Knights, while the ground floor opened onto oil mills and warehouses, places of work and production that tell the industrious life of the village.
The Historic Center and the Mother Church
On the right side of the square rises the Clock Tower, built in 1855 to mark the time of the community. After the end of the wars, the tower became a monument to the fallen, a symbol of memory and gratitude to those who sacrificed their lives.
Taking Via Umberto I, one enters the heart of the historic center, known in the local dialect as “Sciangài,” or “Terra murata” because it was enclosed within the ancient medieval walls. It is the oldest part of the village, a maze of narrow, winding alleys that wind among whitewashed houses and noble palaces, embellished with decorated balconies and elegant loggias. Since 2011, this corner of history has been undergoing restoration work on the traditional “chianche” paving, which restores the authentic charm of the village.
In this evocative setting stands the Mother Church, dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. Built around the 15th century, it houses a solemn interior with three naves, a dome that rises above the presbytery, and a crypt accessible from the outside. It is a place that tells the spirituality of the village and welcomes both worshippers and visitors with its atmosphere of silence and devotion.
