Monograph Gallipoli

• Kallipolis, from the Greek "Città Bella"
• Old Town
• Castle
• Libraries, Museums and Theatres
• Sant'Andrea Island Regional Natural Park

GALLIPOLI

The city of Gallipoli is among the most evocative places of Salento, thanks to its territorial configuration and the prestigious historical and artistic heritage that embellishes the historic centre of the village. The sea is the main protagonist of this prodigious beauty, and the vivid waters of the Ionian frame in a blue background the entire urban settlement.

The name Gallipoli recalls the ancient Levantine cultural heritage, and anticipates in its etymology the genius loci of this land: Kallipolis, from the Greek "Città Bella". Its beauties take on various forms in the oldest part of the village, perched on a small island connected to the mainland by a bridge. It is in the Byzantine Middle Ages that Gallipoli begins to take on a strategic role within the Mediterranean chessboard, especially for the control of the Ionian Sea routes. However, the sixteenth century is the turning point for the economic and demographic life of the city, especially for the production and export by sea of ​​olive oil. Even today it is possible to visit the ancient hypogean oil mills, for several centuries protagonists of the entire economy of the territory.

Among these it is characterized by its remarkable beauty the "Municipal Hypogeum Oil Mill". Located under the rooms of Granafei Palace, the mill is an important testimony of the proto-industrial heritage of Salento, enhanced by the presence of the original equipment used for centuries for the pressing of the olives. For a long time the link between the land and the sea here in Gallipoli has been lived in an intense and fruitful way, thanks also to the wisdom of the inhabitants who have succeeded in combining the green gold of the olive groves of the hinterland with the blue routes of the sea. Even today, the port life of Gallipoli is vital and laborious, recalling the ancient seafaring vocation of the city, which is profitably active in maritime trade and fishing. For this reason, in Gallipoli the docks of the Port take picturesque forms, animated by numerous fishermen.

In the small fish market all the fresh products of the sea are exposed to the eyes of visitors, among which the red prawns, crustaceans typical of the Gallipoli sea, stand out. The tourism industry currently serves as a driving force for the Beautiful City’s economy, boosted by numerous public and private interventions in the hospitality and culture sector. The beautiful beaches that characterize the Gallipoli coast are an important attraction for bathing, and attract hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers every year.