Salice Salentino is a small town and ''

comune The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...

'' in the southern part of Apulia,

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

, in the

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, ...

area. It is bounded with the province of Taranto to the northwest and the

province of Brindisi The Province of Brindisi ( it, Provincia di Brindisi) is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Brindisi. It has an area of and a total population of 401,652 (2013). Geography The Province of Brindisi is situated in ...

to the north. Main sights include the ''Chiesa Madre'' ("Mother Church") of Santa Maria Assunta (16th century) and the convent of the

Friars Minor The Order of Friars Minor (also called the Franciscans, the Franciscan Order, or the Seraphic Order; postnominal abbreviation OFM) is a mendicant Catholic religious order, founded in 1209 by Francis of Assisi. The order adheres to the teachi ...

(1597-1597). Its coat of arms features a tree in the middle of a shield and a golden crown on top.

History

Founded by the prince Raimondo Orsini Del Balzo in the end of the 14th century, Salice Salentino owes its name to the willow trees that once used to grow and populate its muddy, clay soil. The prince constructed his residence, the "Casa del Re" (House of the King). It was later owned by the baron Zurlo in 1485. It was passed on to the marquis Albricci, Enriquez, prince of

Squinzano Squinzano ( 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 ...

, Filomarini, duke of Cutrofiano and della Torre.

Economy

Its main economical activity is agriculture in the olive and wine industry. It is a center of production for Salice Salentino wine.

References

External links

Official website
Cities and towns in Apulia Localities of Salento {{Puglia-geo-stub