Ortelle
Greetings from Ortelle, Puglia
Hi there! I am excited to introduce you to Ortelle, a small town with around 2270 inhabitants located in the province of Lecce, in Puglia, in the beautiful southeastern Salento region. Get ready to discover the beauties of our territory and our history!
Physical geography
Territory
Ortelle is situated in the immediate hinterland of Castro, one of the most important towns in the area. Our territory covers an area of about 9.95 km², which stretches between 52 and 125 meters above sea level. Our hamlet of Vignacastrisi, located 2.5 km to the south, has over 1300 inhabitants. Ortelle borders the municipalities of Poggiardo to the north, Santa Cesarea Terme to the east, Castro and Diso to the south, and Spongano to the west.
Part of our territory is protected by the Costa Otranto - Santa Maria di Leuca and Bosco di Tricase Park, a natural area rich in architectural heritage, floral and faunal species. Among the most striking areas is "I Canali", an area characterized by rugged terrain, with various terraces connected by stone stairs and numerous caves.
Climate
From a meteorological point of view, Ortelle has a typical Mediterranean climate, with mild winters and hot and humid summers. The average temperature in the coldest month, January, is about 19.1 °C, while that in the hottest month, August, exceeds 29.1 °C. Precipitation, which averages around 676 mm per year, is more frequent in autumn and winter. Our geographical location protects us from western currents but favors the arrival of autumn and winter winds from the southeast.
History
The name Ortelle derives from the Latin "hortella", which means "small gardens". Our territory extends between two ancient Messapian cities: Vaste and Castro. Until 1806, our municipality was part of the County of Castro, before the abolition of feudalism.
The residential center of Ortelle is made up of one or two-story buildings, many of which have cellars carved into the limestone rock. The history of Ortelle is linked to that of Salento, which with its millennia-old history has left important testimonies of the past in our territory.
Conclusions
I hope you enjoyed this brief introduction to Ortelle, a welcoming and history-rich town in the beautiful land of Salento. If you decide to visit us, you will discover the beauty of our nature and the cordiality of our inhabitants. We look forward to seeing you!
