West of Brindisi

<< Apulia

The rural countryside west of Brindisi features a few ancient towns and historic sites. This area is the northernmost part of the historic region of Salento and the southernmost portion of the Itria Valley.

Mesagne

Mesagne is a town located in the countryside southwest of Brindisi. Originally an important city of the Messapians, it remained a relevant regional center for most of its history. The modern town developed since the 16th century, and it is now an agricultural center.

Mesagne Castle

The Mesagne Castle is a fortress built by the Byzantines in the 11th century. The castle was later expanded and reworked, and it slowly transformed into the fortified residence of local nobles. Inside the castle is an archaeological museum with many findings from the Messapian and Roman era.

Oria

Oria is a town in the Province of Brindisi, located halfway between Brindisi and Taranto. Anciently known as Hyria, it was the most important center of the Messapians, and remained relevant under the Romans. The town had a large Jewish and then Arab community in the Early Middle Ages, but its importance declined as it was sacked and damaged numerous times. Now Oria is mainly an agricultural center.

Oria Cathedral

Also known as: Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta

The Oria Cathedral (Cattedrale di Oria) is the main church in the town, erected in the 18th century to replace a previous church which had been damaged by an earthquake. The cathedral is richly adorned with Baroque decorations and artworks, but it is best known for hosting a crypt with mummified bodies.

Francavilla Fontana

Francavilla Fontana is a town in the Province of Brindisi, located northwest of Oria. Inhabited since ancient times, the modern city developed in the Late Middle Ages, and later became one of the most important centers in the area.

Francavilla Fontana Castle

The Francavilla Fontana Castle is a fortified palace originally built in the 15th century, and later reworked and expanded. For centuries the residence of the local lords, it features various Baroque decorations, and now its hosts the local town hall and an archaeological museum.

Basilica of Santissimo Rosario

The Basilica of Santissimo Rosario is the main church of Francavilla Fontana. The current basilica was erected in the 18th century, after the previous church was damaged by an earthquake. The church is one of the largest and tallest in the area, and features rich Baroque decorations, both outside and inside.

Carovigno

Carovigno is a town located west of Brindisi in northern Salento. Founded in ancient times, it remained a small center for most of its history, and it is now a tourist destination thanks to some nearby seaside resorts.

Dentice di Frasso Castle

The Dentice di Frasso Castle is a castle erected in Carovigno during the Late Middle Ages. The original Norman structure was slowly turned into a fortified palace, and in the 20th century it was transformed into a noble residence. Now the castle can be visited.

Ostuni

Ostuni is a town in the Province of Brindisi, and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area. Inhabited since ancient times, the town developed in the Late Middle Ages, and thrived during the Renaissance, but its importance later declined. Ostuni is now known for its beutiful old town and for the production of olive oil and wine.

Ostuni Cathedral

Also known as: Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta)

The Ostuni Cathedral (Duomo di Ostuni) is the main church of the city, located at the center of the old town. The current structure was erected in Gothic style during the 15th century over a previous Romanesque church. The cathedral features a decorated facade with a large and elaborate rose window flanked by two smaller ones. The interior is also richly adorned, and houses several artworks.

Museum of Preclassic Civilizations of Southern Murgia

The Museum of Preclassic Civilizations of Southern Murgia (Museo di Civiltà Preclassiche della Murgia Meridionale) is an archaeological museum in Ostuni. The museum houses numerous archaeological findings mostly from prehistory and the Messapian era, and unearthed around Ostuni. Its collection includes the skeleton of a pregnant woman dating from around 28.000 years ago.

Column of Sant’Oronzo

The Column of Sant’Oronzo (Colonna di Sant’Oronzo) is a Baroque column in Ostuni, erected in 1771 and regarded as the symbol of the city. The column stands in Piazza della Libertà, which also features the Baroque Church of San Francesco d’Assisi.

Fasano

Fasano is a town located at the western edge of the Province of Brindisi. While the area has been inhabited since ancient times, the modern town emerged in the Late Middle Ages and developed as an agricultural center in the 20th century.

✪ Archaeological Park of Egnatia

Egnatia was an ancient Messapian town located on the coast north of Fasano. Founded in the Bronze Age, the town was inhabited by the Messapians from the 8th century BCE until the Roman conquest in the 3rd century BCE. The city later declined and it was abandoned in the Early Middle Ages. The Archaeological Park of Egnatia (Parco Archeologico di Egnazia) houses the ruins of the ancient city, including an amphitheater, some temples, a Paleochristian basilica, and several tombs. Nearby is the National Archaeological Museum of Egnatia (Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Egnazia) which houses numerous ancient objects and artworks found here and in another sites in the region.

Rupestrian Park Lama d’Antico

The Rupestrian Park Lama d’Antico (Parco Rupestre Lama d’Antico) is an archaeological site located northeast of Fasano. Here are the ruins of a medieval village of even older origins, which includes some rupestrian churches adorned with ancient frescoes.

Church of San Giovanni Battista

The Church of San Giovanni Battista is the main church of Fasano, located in the center of the town. It was built in Renaissance and Baroque style over a previous church. The facade features an elaborate rose window and a decorated portal, while inside the church are various artworks.