About Galatone...
- Maury A.
- Aug 22, 2015
- 2 min read
Galatone is a town in Salento, in the Lecce province of the Puglia (Apulia) region in southern Italy. It has a population of less than 20.000 people.
History
In the Middle Ages, Galatone was a Greek center (Grecia Salentina). The Greek language was spoken and Byzantine rites were celebrated in churches up to the end of the 14th century. Many residents still speak grico, the Italiot Greek dialect.
Greek scholar Antonio de Ferraris ("il Galateo" - i.e. from Galatone) was born in Galatone in 1444 during the Renaissance, and was author of an important historical and geographical study of the Salentine peninsula.
Main Sights
The main attraction of Galatone is the Santuario del Crocifisso della Pietà (in the "Centro Storico"), a Baroque church built between 1696 and 1710. This has a three-level façade which is richly decorated, as is the interior, surmounted by a magnificent paneled ceiling and a large frescoed cupola. Facing the church stands a 14th-century castle (with a square tower), the seat of the family of Squarciafico, Marquesses of Galatone, ancestors of the Princes of Belmonte.
Other churches in the town include the Chiesa Maggiore (1574–95), the Church of the Dominicans (1612–1712), and the small Chapel of San Pietro, also in the Baroque style.
See the GALATONE da VISITARE Facebook page:
Nearby (also see "Buying Property in Salento..." blog)
Galatone is perfectly centered in the heart of Salento in Puglia.
It is literally minutes away from some of the best Italian beaches and touristic towns: Gallipoli (15 min) with its famous castle, shopping district, and sandy beaches; Pescoluse beach (35 min) also known as the "Maldive del Salento"; and Otranto (45 min) are a few.
Lecce, the 2.000 yr old Salento capital is only 25km away. It is called the "Florence of the south" because of its Baroque monuments.
Santa Maria Di Leuca
and the international airport of Brindisi
(BDS) are less than
one hour drive from Galatone. Greece lies just 80km across the
sea from Brindisi.
I Trulli di Alberobello (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and the Grotte di Castellana are only 1:30hr drive.
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