Castrignano de' Greci
Welcome to Castrignano dei Greci
Hello everyone! We're here to talk about Castrignano dei Greci, an incredible municipality located in the province of Lecce, in Puglia. With a population of 3710 inhabitants, this town belongs to the historic region of Grecìa salentina, where the Grico language is spoken, an ancient language of Greek origin.
But first of all, let's discover something about the geography of the territory.
Physical geography
Castrignano de' Greci covers an area of 9.52 km² in the central part of the province of Lecce. The territory is completely flat and is located 26.3 km from Lecce, 18 km from Otranto, and 34 km from Gallipoli. The urban center, located 90 meters above sea level, is situated on the magnesiferous limestone that lies on the compact limestone in the northeastern part of the territory, and this facilitates the cultivation of typical Mediterranean plants, including Olive, Ficus, Almond, and Vine. The center is surrounded by cultivated lands, transforming the landscape into a charming palette of colors.
Now that we know the territory, let's discover something more about the climate of this area.
Climate
Like all the towns of eastern Salento, Castrignano dei Greci has a Mediterranean climate, with mild winters and hot-humid summers. The average temperature of the coldest month, January, is around +9°C, while that of the hottest month, August, approaches +24.7°C. Precipitation, frequent in autumn and winter, amounts to about 626 mm of rain/year. Spring and summer are characterized by long periods of drought. Finally, the windiness is influenced by the wind that comes from the north through cold currents of Balkan origin or warmer ones of African origin.
Origin of the name
Castrignano dei Greci derives its name from several sources. The most common version is that the name derives from "castrum." With the Roman conquest of the Salento Peninsula, the Roman Civilization established a military camp known as "Praesidium Castrinianum." Another hypothesis is that Castrignano dei Greci could derive from the term "Kástron" of Byzantine Greek, meaning "castle." Moreover, the toponym suggests that it is Castrignano dei Greci, unlike Castrignano del Capo, a hamlet of Gagliano del Capo.
History
The history of Castrignano dei Greci is very interesting and linked to the popular stories and local mythology. According to popular tradition, the town was founded by three brothers, Eutichio, Sofronio, and Vittore, belonging to a noble family of Athens, who inhabited the territory in the early centuries after Christ. However, the presence of the Greek language in the area dates back at least to 300 BC, and the Greek community developed even more during the Byzantine Empire when the Diocese of Otranto was founded and Christianity was introduced to the region. In 1543, the Turks devastated the city, and only in 1626 did the Aragonese rule it again. Local administration was entrusted to the city of Lecce in 1806, with the constitution of the Lato Department.
We hope we have convinced you to come and visit this fantastic city, where you can stroll and enjoy the beautiful landscape, savor the flavors of local cuisine, and spend unforgettable moments among history and culture. Come and discover Castrignano dei Greci!
