Monograph Poggiardo

• PREFAZIONE pag.5
• Introduzione pag.8
• Centro Storico pag.12
• Vaste pag.16
• Parco dei Guerrieri pag.20
• Arboreto didattico pag.23
• Français pag.26
• English pag.41
• Deutsch pag.53
• Español pag.68
• BIBLIOGRAFIA pag.81

POGGIARDO

The town of Poggiardo is situated in the very heart of the province of Lecce and it extends into the Adriatic hinterland of the Salentinian Peninsula. The territory is part of the Union of Towns named “Terre d’Oriente” together with Otranto, Muro Leccese, Uggiano and Giurdignano.

The rich flat landscape surrounds the built-up area and near the Serra of Poggiardo, the territory is characterised by the presence of hills which enrich its natural significance. Woodlands extend towards the territory of Minervino. They are characterised by important green spaces where one encounters the most striking examples of Mediterranean fauna and flora.

For centuries its territory, rich in water and extremely fertile, allowed the development of the agricultural industry that in Poggiardo still occupies a prominent place centralized on the production of grains and olive-oil. Here, the evidence of human impact dates back to the Messapian period when the surrounding area was dominated by the imposing town of Vaste, now a hamlet of Poggiardo.

The town of Poggiardo preserves an historical, artistic heritage of considerable interest, a thousand-year history which ranges from the Messapian times to the byzantine heritage up to the Modern Age when noble families started promoting the construction of sumptuous buildings and palaces. Since 1572, the town has offered protection to the prelates from Castro, who found refuge here because of the invasions of the Turks who threatened the seat of the Bishop, then abolished in 1818. The historic artistic beauty of Poggiardo combines with its capacity to welcome tourists. It is a community that has established the important objective of cultural tourism enabling it to offer both an authenticity of place and genuine hospitality.