Marittima is a hamlet of the
Diso
Diso ( Salentino: ; ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is l ...
municipality in the
province of Lecce
The Province of Lecce ( it, Provincia di Lecce; Salentino: ) is a province in the Apulia region of Italy whose capital is the city of Lecce. The province is called the "Heel of Italy". Located on the Salento peninsula, it is the second most-p ...
.
Located in the lowest part of
Salento
Salento (Salentino: ''Salentu'', Salentino Griko: ''Σαλέντο'') is a cultural, historical and geographic region at the southern end of the administrative region of Apulia in Southern Italy. It is a sub-peninsula of the Italian Peninsula, ...
between
Castro,
Andrano
Andrano ( Salentino: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is loc ...
and Diso, Marittima is about 48 km from Lecce. The part of the country overlooking the coast is named
Marina di Marittima
Toponymy
According to popular opinion, the name of the town is due to its proximity to the sea. In fact, the coast is only a kilometre from the town. It has also been claimed that the name is related to the founders of the area, who arrived by sea and would have been called ''marittimi''; so ''Marittima'' indicates the place where they lived.
History
There is no definite information on the origins of the town although it is assumed that Marittima was founded or inhabited by the
Messapi
The Messapians ( grc, Μεσσάπιοι, Messápioi; la, Messapii) were a Iapygian tribe who inhabited Salento in classical antiquity. Two other Iapygian tribes, the Peucetians and the Daunians, inhabited central and northern Apulia respective ...
and that it suffered the same fate as its neighbours,
Vaste,
Diso
Diso ( Salentino: ; ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is l ...
and
Castro, which were overtaken first by the
Romans
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
and then by the
Byzantines, the
Normans
The Normans ( Norman: ''Normaunds''; french: Normands; la, Nortmanni/Normanni) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norse Viking settlers and indigenous West Franks and Gallo-Romans. ...
and
Angevins.
The first written document confirming the presence of the settlement dates back to 1277; the Angevin registers from one year inform us of a certain "Rubeo de Soliaco" who was named "Lord of Casale Marittima".
In the feudal period, Marittima was part of Castro County which was under the control of various noble families including the
Orsini Del Balzo
The House of Orsini del Balzo was an Italian noble family from the 13th and 14th centuries.
The dynasty was founded with the marriage between Roberto from the Orsini family and Sveve del Balzo from the House of Baux. The family produced a Queen ...
, ''Gattinara'', ''Ruiz De Castro'' and the ''Lopez De Zunica'' families. This control lasted until 1809 when the ''Rossi'' family became the owners of Marittima.
In the feudal Middle Ages, the daily life of the area's farmers and fishermen was shaken up when, on the 28 July 1537, the Turks (who were allies of the French against the Spanish governor of the Kingdom of Naples) seized Castro and destroyed several towns, including Marittima.
Some years later, in 1573 when Marittima had only a hundred inhabitants, the town was ransacked again, this time by
Saracen
upright 1.5, Late 15th-century German woodcut depicting Saracens
Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek and Latin writings, to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the Romans as Arabia Pe ...
pirates (as were many neighbouring areas). Attacks by pirates occurred frequently until the early 19th century. In order to defend
Salento
Salento (Salentino: ''Salentu'', Salentino Griko: ''Σαλέντο'') is a cultural, historical and geographic region at the southern end of the administrative region of Apulia in Southern Italy. It is a sub-peninsula of the Italian Peninsula, ...
, a
system of watchtowers was built around Marittima. Between the end of 400 AD and the start of 500 AD a large tower – known as
Torre Lupo (Wolf Tower) – was erected and still stands. Several turrets were also built in the inhabited centre.
Marittima was an independent municipality until 1809.
Monuments and places of interest
Mother-Church
The Mother-Church is dedicated to the Protector
Saint Vitale. It was rebuilt several times: once in the 16th Century after the devastation by the
Turkish and then in the 18th century due to the structure's dilapidation. The current structure dates back to early 1900.
It has a simple facade with a central doorway which is flanked by two niches. The interior is of a
neoclassical style
Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing sty ...
with three arched aisles containing numerous paintings. The most important of which, Saint Vitale on Horseback, is on the high altar. In the central vault there is a stunning
elliptical dome
An elliptical dome, or an ''oval dome'', is a dome whose bottom cross-section takes the form of an ellipse. Technically, an ''ellipsoidal dome'' has a circular cross-section, so is not quite the same.
While the cupola can take different geometr ...
on which is painted the glory of the
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God th ...
and the family of Saint Vitale.
Shrine of Our Lady of Constantinople
The Shrine of Our Lady of Constantinople, built in 1610, has preserved its architectural lines despite adjustments made over the centuries. This shrine is linked to an ancient tradition. An image of Our Lady of Constantinople on Lecce stone now dominates the high altar on an artistic canopy.
The walls of the single nave, once adorned with numerous paintings, are now home to only those of
Saint Francis of Assisi and
Immacolata. Of notable interest are the baroque portal, the high altar containing the oval icon of the Virgin and the altar of the
Crucifix
A crucifix (from Latin ''cruci fixus'' meaning "(one) fixed to a cross") is a cross with an image of Jesus on it, as distinct from a bare cross. The representation of Jesus himself on the cross is referred to in English as the ''corpus'' (Lati ...
dated 1691. There is also a small
lead pipe organ which dates back to the 18th century.
Convent of Conventual Fathers
The Convent of
Conventual Fathers was constructed between 1615 and 1619. This is known because, in 1614, it was not yet listed among the monasteries which existed at the time in
Apulia. However, in 1621, a certain ''Catrini'' was buried there.
The task of the convent's religious community was to guard the Shrine of Our Lady of Constantinople and to run a small hospital. The convent was suppressed for the first time in 1652 as a result of the ''Bolla Instaurandae'' of Pope
Innocent X
Pope Innocent X ( la, Innocentius X; it, Innocenzo X; 6 May 1574 – 7 January 1655), born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj (or Pamphili), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 September 1644 to his death in January ...
and was reactivated in 1654. The year 1795 marked the definitive end of the convent. Over the years it was owned by different families; the premises were even used as a
tobacco
Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
processing factory.
City Towers
The City Towers were built by the Marittima University or by private citizen to defend the small town against attacks by Turkish pirates above all after the destruction of
Otranto
Otranto (, , ; scn, label=Salentino, Oṭṛàntu; el, label= Griko, Δερεντό, Derentò; grc, Ὑδροῦς, translit=Hudroûs; la, Hydruntum) is a coastal town, port and ''comune'' in the province of Lecce (Apulia, Italy), in a ferti ...
(1480) and
Castro (1537 and 1573).
Originally there were five but today only four towers remain: ''Torre di Alfonso'' (Alfonso Tower), ''Torre Baltassara'' (Baltassara Tower), ''Torre della Piazza'' (Piazza Tower) – the only one which is still inhabited – and ''Torre di Paolino Russi'' (Paolino Russi Tower.)
Torre di Alfonso (Alfonso Towers)
The largest and the most artistically beautiful, Torre di Alfonso (named after the owner) is located in the heart of the old town, in Via Cellini. It has a square base and was refined by adding a ledge and a balcony which adorn the upper face.
Colonna Osanna (Hosanna Column)
The Hosanna Column, so-called because it was used during the Palm Sunday, was erected in 1620 and was originally situated in the middle of the main square. It was dismantled in 1926 and rebuilt in 1961 near the Shrine of Our Lady of Constantinople. It is made from local stone and is topped by a cross.
Other monuments
*''Palazzo Baronale Miglietta'' (The Baronial Palace of Miglietta) (1745)
*''Palazzi e ville signorili'' (houses and lordly palaces) (700 AD – 800 AD – 900 AD)
*''Torri Colombaie'' (Dovecot Tower) (1600)
*''Frantoio Ipogeo'' (Underground oil mill)
![Nuvola camera](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Nuvola_camera.svg)
Galleria Santuario Madonna di Costantinopoli
;Interno
File:Altare Immacolata Marittima.jpg, Altare dell'Immacolata
File:Altare di Sant'Antonio da Padova Marittima.jpg, Altare di Sant'Antonio da Padova
File:Altare del Crocifisso Marittima.jpg, Altare del Crocifisso
File:Altare Addolorata Marittima.jpg, Altare dell'Addolorata
File:Marittima Statua Madonna di Costantinopoli.jpg, Statua Madonna di Costantinopoli
File:Marittima Tela di San Francesco.jpg, Tela di San Francesco d'Assisi
File:Affresco Marittima Madonna.jpg, Affresco Madonna di Costantinopoli
Economy
The economy is predominantly agricultural and is based on the production of oil, vegetables and tobacco. Some food companies reside here. With the growth of tourism in Salento, in recent years there has been a sharp increase in the appearance of hotels, guest houses and other holiday accommodation.
Events
*''Fiera Madonna di Costantinopoli'' – first Sunday of March
*''
Festa patronale di San Vitale'' – 28 April
*''Festa de la cornula'' - 11/12 August
*''Festa della fica'' – 16 August
Transportation
Roads
The main roads are:
*Adriatica highway 16;
Lecce-Maglie.
*Provincial road 363;
Maglie-Santa Cesarea Terme
You can also reach the centre via the internal provincial road: SP81 ''
Vaste-Diso-
Tricase
Tricase is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Lecce, part of the Apulia region of south-east Italy. It is located in the Salento traditional region. In Tricase have Cardinale Giovanni Panico General Hospital.
The area that is in between Otr ...
-
Gagliano del Capo'', ''SP82 Diso-
Spongano
Spongano ( Salentino: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Lecce, in the Apulia region of south-east Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is l ...
'', ''SP83 Diso
Vignacastrisi –
Castro''.
''SP81 Gagliano del Capo-
Tricase
Tricase is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Lecce, part of the Apulia region of south-east Italy. It is located in the Salento traditional region. In Tricase have Cardinale Giovanni Panico General Hospital.
The area that is in between Otr ...
-
Vaste'', ''SP195 Gagliano del Capo-Litoranea
Otranto
Otranto (, , ; scn, label=Salentino, Oṭṛàntu; el, label= Griko, Δερεντό, Derentò; grc, Ὑδροῦς, translit=Hudroûs; la, Hydruntum) is a coastal town, port and ''comune'' in the province of Lecce (Apulia, Italy), in a ferti ...
-
Leuca''.
Railways
The nearest train station is ''Spongano'' on the Gagliano del Capo-Maglie line from
Ferrovie del Sud Est
Ferrovie del Sud Est (FSE) is a railway company in Apulia region, Italy. The company operates in the ''comuni'' south of Lecce and in the provinces of Bari, Brindisi and Taranto. The company also operates bus lines. In August 2016 its network ...
, the nearest train station to Lecce.
Airports
The closest civil airports are:
*
Aeroporto internazionale del Salento based at
Brindisi.
*
Aeroporto di Taranto-Grottaglie "Marcello Arlotta", which operates scheduled charter flights.
*
Aeroporto internazionale di Bari "Karol Wojtyla".
See also
*
Diso
Diso ( Salentino: ; ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is l ...
*
Marina di Marittima (Marittima Marina)
*
Torre Lupo (Wolf Tower)
Notes
1. The History of Marittima
External links
*Wikimedia Commons contains multimedia articles relating to Marittima
References
{{authority control
Frazioni of the Province of Lecce