Magliano
Magliano di Lecce: an agricultural village in Salento
Dear readers, today I will talk to you about Magliano di Lecce, a small village of about 4000 inhabitants located in the province of Lecce, in the heart of Salento. Magliano is the only fraction of Carmiano and is located about 2 km southeast of the municipal capital. But where does the name of this suggestive village come from?
Origins of the name
The name Magliano derives, like other place names of villages and rural lands in Salento, from the name of the Roman centurion Manlio who was assigned the territory during the Roman colonization of Salento in the 2nd century BC. But there's more!
History
The village of Magliano was founded during the Norman period, in the 11th century. The village coat of arms represents a cherry branch, present in vast areas of the territory at the time of its foundation, and five links or rings of a chain. The five links of the chain, from which the name "Magliano" is derived, represent the five existing villages in the 11th century. Until a few decades ago, the village was predominantly agricultural, where wealthy families from Lecce spent their summers in rich residences immersed in greenery. There are still small houses and palaces in the area, many of which are newly inhabited.
The Cupa Valley, where Magliano is located, is a mostly flat karstic valley with fertile soils for vineyards and farming, easy access to the aquifer, the presence of clay banks, and an abundance of limestone ("tuff").
Monuments and places of interest
But Magliano is not just an old town with charm, here you can find real treasures.
Old Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
The Old Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was first described in the pastoral visit of 1640. The building was of modest size, with a single nave with a vaulted ceiling. Over the years, the church was expanded to then assume its current almost regular form of a Latin cross in the mid-19th century. Inside, we find some altars, of which the most artistically relevant are those of the transept built in the Lecce stone of the Virgin of the Rosary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The church lost its parish function after the construction of the new Maria Santissima Assunta church, completed in 2000.
Madonna del Carmine Chapel
The Madonna del Carmine Chapel is a construction from 1880 dedicated since its origin to the Madonna del Carmine. The interior, with a single hall, has only one altar on which is placed the statue of the Virgin of Carmel. In addition, there are the statues of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Anthony the Abbot, the latter made of colored Lecce stone. On the simple facade, a public clock was installed in 1891. In the area surrounding the place of worship, on January 17, the day of the feast of St. Anthony the Abbot, it is tradition to light a bonfire.
Conclusions
This is just a small taste of what you can find by visiting Magliano di Lecce. An ancient village, with deep historical roots, that offers artistic and natural treasures that will leave you speechless. Don't miss the opportunity to discover them!
