Gallipoli into the 14th Century Walls: fishers and Churches!!!

Gallipoli
Gallipoli (Kallipolis, the beatiful city) Lecce - Italy

Gallipoli (Kallipolis, the beatiful city) Lecce – Italy

Gallipoli, fishers and churches.

Gallipoli (Kallipolis, the beatiful city that means the name), was founded by Idomeneo from ancient Crete, as the legend tell us. Then the town became part of Magna Grecia and after too many disastrous victories, was defedeat by the Romans.

Interesting the period when King Ferdinand I of Two Sicilies, started the construction of the port and Gallipoli was considered the largest olive market in the Mediterranean.

Today the town is divided in two parts.

Very interesting the old city located on limestone island lined to the mainland by bridge in the 16th century.

Under the basement some frantoi ipogei, rimenber us the past economy.

Many Baroque Churches in the old town and exiting Palazzi in the broader sea-front promenade and dislocated in the labyrinthe.

The liveliest part of the town is the fish market, situates into the oldtown defence walls. Sea urchins, anchovies, sardines, mackerels, stone bass, sword fish, cozze “piluse” (woolly mussels), etc, give us some basic ingredients for the traditional Gallipoli’s recipes.

Shown below a list of Gallipoli’s Churches and Palazzi into the 14th century walls (the old town).

  • Baroque cathedral of Sant’Agata (17th century). It has a richly decorated façade in carparo, a local limestone, with niches featuring statues of saints. The interior is on the Latin cross plan, with Baroque altars, including a polychrome high altar by Cosimo Fanzago.
  • Church of St. Francis of Paola (1621)
  • Church of St. Francis of Assisi, built in the 13th century but renovated several times later. It is home to a stone nativity scene by Stefano da Putignano (late 16th century)
  • Church of San Domenico al Rosario (late 17th century), annexed to a former Dominican convent.
  • Church of the Holy Crucifix (1750)
  • Church of Santa Maria della Purità (1661). The richly decorated interior houses, at the marble high altar, a canvas by Luca Giordano depicting the Madonna della Purità between st. Joseph and St. Francis of Assisi.
  • Greek Fountain (16th century), once believed to date to the 3rd century BC. It has bas-reliefs with mythological figures and, on the other façade, the insignia of Charles III of Spain.
  • Palazzo Pirelli (16th century), with mythological-theme decorations in the vault of former entrance archway which was converted to a pharmacy in the 19th century.
  • Church of San Pietro dei Samari, outside the city. It was built in by a Crusader knight, Ugo di Lusignano in 1148.
  • Spiaggia la Puritate beach under the city walls.

Map of Gallipoli

List of Comuni in the Lecce (Province)

Acquarica del Capo | Alessano | Alezio | Alliste | Andrano | Aradeo | Arnesano | Bagnolo del Salento | Botrugno | Calimera | Campi Salentina | Cannole | Caprarica di Lecce | Carmiano | Carpigiano Salentino | Casarano | Castri’ di Lecce | Castrignano Capo | Castrignano Greci | Castro | Cavallino | Collepasso Copertino|Corigliano d’Otranto | Corsano | Cursi | Cutrofiano | Diso | Gagliano del Capo | Galatina | Galatone | Gallipoli | Galugnano | Giuggianello | Giurdignano | Guagnano | Lecce | Lequile | Leverano | Lizzanello | Maglie | Martano | Martignano | Matino | Melendugno | Melissano | Melpignano | Miggiano | Minervino di Lecce | Monteroni di Lecce | Montesano Salentino | Morciano di Leuca | Muro Leccese | Nardo’ | Neviano | Nociglia | Novoli | Ortelle | Otranto | Palmariggi | Parabita | Patù | Poggiardo | Porto Cesareo | Presicce | Racale | Ruffano | Salice Salentino | Salve | San Cassiano | San Cesario di Lecce | San Donato di Lecce | San Pietro in Lama | Sanarica | Sannicola | Santa Cesarea Terme | Scorrano | Seclì | Sogliano Cavour | Soleto | Specchia | Spongano | Squinzano | Sternatia | Supersano | Surano | Surbo | Taurisano | Taviano | Tiggiano | Trepuzzi | Tricase | Tuglie | Ugento | Uggiano la Chiesa | Veglie | Vernole | Zollino