Ceglie Messapica

Ceglie Messapica (Italian pronunciation: [ˈtʃɛʎʎe mesˈsaːpika]; Brindisino: Cégghie) is a town, and comune, located in the province of Brindisi and region of Apulia, in southern Italy, in the traditional area called Salento.

Ceglie Messapica Cégghie (Neapolitan)
Comune
Comune di Ceglie Messapica
Tower of the castle, Ceglie Messapica
Location of Ceglie Messapica
Ceglie Messapica Location of Ceglie Messapica in Italy Ceglie Messapica Ceglie Messapica (Apulia)
Coordinates: 40°39′N 17°30′E
Country	Italy
Region	Apulia
Province	Brindisi (BR)
Government
• Mayor	Luigi Caroli (since April 11, 2010)
Area
• Total	132.02 km2 (50.97 sq mi)
Elevation	298 m (978 ft)
Population  (30 June 2017)
• Total	19,914
• Density	150/km2 (390/sq mi)
Demonym	Cegliesi
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	72013
Dialing code	0831
Patron saint	Anthony of Padua, St. Anne and St. Roch
Saint day	13 June, 26 July and 16 August
Website	Official website

Geography

The area of Ceglie Messapica is located between the Murge and the Upper Salento: its typical elements include trulli, farms, lamie (typical southern single room square dwellings), rupestrian churches, Carsic caves, dolinas, specchie and paretoni (remains of city walls), dry-stone walls, olive groves, vineyards, maquis shrub, ancient oak trees, cattle pastures and arable land.

History

According to legend, it was founded by the Pelasgi, to whom belonged the megalithic structures known as specchie. After the arrival of Greek colonists around 700 BC, it received the name of Kailìa (Ancient Greek: Καιλία; Latin: Caelia). Nearby the village were extra-urban sanctuaries dedicated to the God Apollo (near the modern church of San Rocco) and Venus (on the Montevicoli hill).

The city was the military capital of the Messapi (the civil capital being located in the nearby Oria), and fought against the Greek city Taranto in the latter's attempt to gain a passage to the Adriatic Sea. The Messapic Ceglie had some 40,000 inhabitants. In Roman times it was already decaying, and in the Middle Ages was a small village known as Celie de Galdo, with a little castle. After several minor families, in 1584 its fief was given to the Sanseverino family, who enlarged the castle and founded two convents for the Capuchines (now disappeared) and for the Dominicans.

Main sights

Numerous archaeological remains of the ancient Messapi civilization were found in Ceglie's area. It had four lines of walls, the inner one having a perimeter of 5 kilometres (3 mi). The external one had high fortifications known as specchie, which could be up to 20 metres (66 ft) and 60 metres (200 ft) in diameter.

Transport

The Ceglie Messapica railway station is located on the Martina Franca-Lecce railway, which connects to the railway junction at Francavilla Fontana station. The train services and the railway infrastructure are operated by Ferrovie del Sud Est, a subsidiary of the Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane.

The SP581 provincial road connects the commune with Martina Franca to the west and San Vito dei Normanni to the east.

Events

• The Procession and Feast of Saint Anthony of Padua, on 13 June.
• The Procession and Feast of Saint Roch, on 17 August.
• Ceglie Food Festival, dedicated to gastronomy, on August
• Coppa Messapica, cycling race in the Itria valley

Gallery

• 
  Panoramic view
• 
  Plebiscite square
• 
  Collegiate church
• 
  Baroque altar in the church of Saint Domenico
• 
  Church of Saint Roch
• 
  Abbey of Saint Anna
• 
  Procession of Saint Anthony
• 
  Patronal feast with illuminations
• 
  Messapian archaeological finds found in Ceglie
• 
  Montevicoli caves
• 
  municipal theater
• 
  centuries-old olive tree in the countryside
• 
  "Biscotto cegliese", typical almond paste biscuits, Slow Food presidium

References

Notes

External links

• Ceglie Messapica -Salento high coast of the trulli (in Italian)
• Ceglie Messapica - Town of the ancient world (in Italian)