The Countries of Greece Salentina

In Greek means "good morning" and rises on ancient messapic road which connected Lecce to Otranto. The most famous monuments are: the Church Matrice of Saint Brizio that rises where anciently there was a temple of Greek ritual and a church of the XVIII century dedicated to San Antonio. In the chapel of San Vito a monolith called "love sacred forum" rises from the pavement; it was used in the ceremony of the fecundity, the young spouses as protagonists.

CARPIGNANO SALENTINO situated at 70 metres above sea level in the Southern region of Salento at 10 km from the Adriatic Coast and at 15km from Otranto. The territory also includes the district of Serrano at 1 km. Even though there are no certain traces of the Messapi of Carpignano settlement but the name derives from the Messapi language "karp" which means "rock" or "settlement on a hill top". In the Roman Ages the town became important thanks to its location near to the via Traiana-Costantiniana. Not less important were the Byzantine "Basiliani" monks, that between the IX and the X century, found shelter here and imported the use of the Greek language into the region. Carpignano is part of the Greek Consortium but the population, today, does not speak the "Griko", a dialect with Hellenic origins, like other inhabitants of the nearby provinces. Evidence of these Ages is the Byzantine Crypt of S. Cristina, dated X century A.D., that features a series of antique frescos. Not far from the sanctuary rises a "menhir" of the Rural Ages. Not to miss: the Palazzo Ducale and the Mother Church which has a bell tower from where it is possible to admire a wonderful panorama.

The name Castrignano comes from the Latin "castrum" (encampment) or from the Greek "kastron" (castle). The village offers a historical centre characterised by a medieval structure with numerous houses that form a court in the centre. The most interesting monuments in Castrignano are: the Park of the Pozzelle where rain is gathered in ‘pots’, the Baronial Castle, cited in one parchment from Carlo d'Angiò, in ancient time encircled by a moat and equipped with a drawbridge.

Zollino was strongly influenced by Greek domination in language, customs an culture. In fact the first evidence of human settlement in the zone goes back to the bronze age. It celebrates, the"Monolith Zollino" directly fixed on the cliff with a height of approximately 4,3 meters, and the "Menhir Sant'Anna" that, in ancient time, had a funeral function in memory of the deceased people of noble origin.

The town’s origins are Byzantine. The testimonies from the medieval period attest to the presence of a "scriptorium" in the zone, which was controlled by of the Abbey of Saint Nicholas of Casole. Although worth visiting is the Chapel of the Conella dating from the end of '500 with its wonderful frescoes, and the CHAPEL of S. Giovanni Batiste 1621, which holds the only testimony of the biography of the Saint, (from birth until the tragic decapitation).