Castri di Lecce
Castri di Lecce: a municipality in eastern Salento
Hello everyone! Today I would like to talk about Castri di Lecce, a municipality in the province of Lecce located in eastern Salento. This village is the result of the union of two distinct houses at the end of the 19th century, giving rise to the current municipality. With its 2,770 inhabitants, Castri di Lecce extends over the plain of the Salentine Serre made up of limestone-clayey soil, with the presence of springs. The urban center has a surface area of 12.22 km² for a population density of 247 inhabitants per square kilometer.
Physical geography
Territory
The municipality of Castri di Lecce borders on the north with the municipality of Lizzanello, on the east with the municipality of Vernole, on the south with the municipality of Calimera, and on the west with the municipality of Caprarica di Lecce. Its position in the Adriatic hinterland of Salento makes it 13 km away from the Adriatic Sea. From a seismic classification point of view, Castri di Lecce falls within zone 4 (very low seismicity), according to Ordinance PCM no. 3274 of 20/03/2003.
Climate
From a meteorological point of view, Castri di Lecce presents a Mediterranean climate but with influences of cold Balkan currents or hot African currents. The average temperatures of the coldest month, January, are around +9°C, while that of the warmest month, August, is around +24.7°C. Precipitation is around 626 mm of rain per year, with long periods of drought in spring and summer.
Origins of the name
The name Castri di Lecce derives from the Latin "castrum" which means fortress. In the 13th century, the hamlet was divided into two separate parts which took the names of Castrifrancone and Castriguarino. In 1891, the two parts were unified and the name of the municipality became Castrì. Later, the name was changed to Castri di Lecce, although the village is still widely called Castrì today.
History
The history of Castri di Lecce has ancient origins. In fact, the territory was inhabited since the Bronze Age, as evidenced by the menhirs and the Specchia (megaliths). However, the history of Castri di Lecce is poorly documented before the 12th century. In 1190, the hamlet of Castri was donated to the Archdiocese of Lecce by the Norman count Tancredi of Lecce. Since 1262, the hamlet was divided into two separate parts that took the name of Castrifrancone and Castriguarino.
In conclusion, Castri di Lecce is a municipality in eastern Salento with an ancient history and a territory rich in springs, vestiges of the megalithic era, and terraced olive groves and vineyards. If you have the opportunity to visit this area, do not miss the chance to explore the natural and cultural beauties of Castri di Lecce.
