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Visit Gallipoli

Gallipoli, towards the southern tip of Puglia (Apulia) in south-east Italy, is divided into two zones, the Old Town and the New Village.

Gallipoli Old Town: the old town is situated on an island connected to the mainland by a arched bridge dating from the 17th century and is characterized by the juxtaposition of buildings dating back different epochs and cultures. the old town plan, lots of narrow and tortuous streets, recalls the Islamic style and dates back to the period of Moorish domination, in 900 AD.

Gallipoli New Village: the “Corso Roma” divides the new city into two parts, called "Sirocco" and "Tramontana" which represents the start of the 'New Village'. This part of Gallipoli is characterised by numerous tourist services and buildings of modern construction, like the “Glass palace”, also known as the "Skyscraper" and built in the late 1970s.

At Gallipoli there are two ports, with the fishing port being the oldest port of Gallipoli. Situated near the “Greek Fountain”, it extends for about 50 meters and it is used to moor the  fishermen’s “Paranze”. The Mercantile Port has an area of 80,000 square meters, and develops along a part of the old town. The Greek-Roman Fountain is located near the quay of the port of Gallipoli, near the “Glass palace”. Built in the III century BC, it presents two façades, which seem to be traced back to two different periods. It was erected by the Greek people (or, according to some scholars, during the Renaissance) in the area named “Fontanelle”, and only later was moved near the Church of San Nicola, now destroyed.

A visit to Gallipoli

Angioino castle: Your visit to Gallipoli can start from the Angioino Castle. Built to defend the city, and totally surrounded by the sea, it is located to the east of the city and dates back to the 14th century, but has undergone major changes, additions and renovations since. The first plan of the castle was quadrangle, but the Aragonese built a wall with a polygonal plan, fortified with cylindrical towers at the corners. The work was carried out on the Sienese design of architect Francesco di Giorgio Martini (1439-1501). Further works began in the Spanish age, with the building of the 'Lookout Tower'. The Castle took a quadrangular shape strengthened summits by four towers. A fifth circular Tower was erected, to defend against attacks from the sea and called "Rivellino" in the early 16th century. The castle then remained unchanged until the second half of the 19th century when, in the area towards the city, the moat was filled and the arches that supported the drawbridge were buried. Today, Gallipoli Castle has a square base and four towers at the corners. The fifth Tower, during the summer months, is used as a movie theatre, while exhibitions and other cultural events are organized in the large halls.

Gallipoli cathedral: Among the religious buildings to discover in Gallipoli, first to note is the Cathedral. It is dedicated to St. Agata, was built from 1629, and is situated near the centre of the city where it is surrounded by numerous palaces. It is the most important Baroque architecture monument in Gallipoli.  Several centuries earlier, on the same site, there was another Church, dedicated to Saint John Chrysostom, and then, from 1126, to St. Agata, but it was destroyed. The cathedral façade is made of stone with various statues depicting St.Agata, San Fausto and Saint Sebastian, Santa Marina and Santa Teresa of Avila.

The Interior of the Cathedral has a Latin cross form with three naves intermixed with two rows of Doric columns. The altar is made of polychrome marble. In the two aisles stand twelve minor altars. Francesco Bischettimi  and Scipione Lachibari (17th century), on a drawing by Giovan Bernardino Genuino (17th century), were the performers of the work. The interior decorations are the work of Giovanni Andrea Coppola (1597-1659), a native of Gallipoli who painted the altars dedicated to "SS. Souls in purgatory", "the assumption", "The martyrdom of St. Agata ", "San Giorgio", "The adoration of the Magi", and "The miracle of San Francesco di Paola". The paintings of the "Virgin with the child" and the "SS. Giovanni Battista and Andrea Apostle" are framed in eleven panels. The inner decorations were completed in 1700 by  Nicola Malinconico, who also painted "The expulsion of the Merchants from the Temple", the "entry into Jerusalem", "Tomb of St. Agata", "The glorification of the Holy", the "Process and the sentencing of Santa by Quinziano" and the "Miracle of paralytic". In the Cathedral there are are numerous relics of Saints preserved.

Churches in Gallipoli

The Church of the Carmine was rebuilt in 1836-38 from a drawing by Vito Donato da Galatone. In this church, every year on the Friday before Palm Sunday, the feast of our Lady of Sorrows is celebrated. Inside the church there is the “The Lamented under the  Cross”, painted in 1931 by the local painter Giulio Pagliano.

The Church of St. Domenico al Rosario has an octagonal nave covered in stone and includes five altars each side where there are some paintings depicting the "Virgin with child" and the "SS. John the Evangelist and Pietro Martire". The Church is the seat of the confraternity of the Rosary, founded by the tailors masters of Gallipoli.

The Church of St. Theresa of Avila retains the Sepulchre of the Spanish Bishop Antonio Perez “Della Lastra” (1631-1700), and is next to the monastery of the Discalced Carmelite nuns. The Interior presents a carved presbytery, with paintings depicting the "Holy Family".

The Church of St. Clare was built at the end of the XVI century, with an adjoining monastery. The Church was dedicated to SS. Peter and Paul. Fitted with majolica flooring, it holds some ancient paintings in good condition depicting the "Annunciation of the Virgin",  "Adoration of the shepherds and the Crucifix", “SS. Peter and Paul, St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi”.

Gallipoli Museum

A visit to the Civic Museum; dating back to 1899, can be of interest. It doesn't have a particular theme but rather a variety of objects consisting of finds such as glass, stones, coins, weapons, terrestrial and marine molluscs from around the world, red and black corals, also specimens of fish and shellfish, a collection of beetles, birds and small pets, teeth of elephant, rhinoceros and remains of reptiles, as well as various strange musical instruments such as the so-called “pantarmonico” that plays the sound of the violin, Viola,  and double bass.

The second section is the most important part of the Museum because here are preserved the ancient remains of two sarcophagi of the Messapic age, one very rare.

Places to visit near Gallipoli: surroundings and typical products

North of the city and nearly a mile from the mainland is the Island of Saint Andrea. Covering about 5 hectares, in the 18th century it was used as pasture for the flocks, which were transported to the island on the boats of the shepherds. In the highest part of the island there was a source of freshwater for watering of the flocks. The island of St. Andrea is a site of considerable archaeological importance with bronze age settlements, and the area is the only nesting site on the Ionic and Adriatic coast of Italy for the Corsican Sea-Gull.

Local cuisine: The traditional cuisine of Gallipoli is poor in ingredients, such as the 'rape nfucate' (stewed broccoli with the addition of chilli), beans, chickpeas, homemade pasta such as the 'sagne ncannulate', 'minchiareddhi', and 'ricchiteddhe' accompanied by fresh ricotta cheese. Traditional meat dishes are just like Grandma's meatballs, kneaded with little minced meat, bread, lots of cheese and eggs. There are fish dishes such as 'lu purpu the pignata ' (stewed Octopus cooked in a typical terracotta container) soup of Gallipoli, consisting of mussels stuffed and fried black, then put in the oven with potatoes; the 'fracaia ' (tiny fish floured and fried). All seasoned with oil from olive trees in the region. The traditional sweets are the 'purciddhuzzi cullu apples', the 'carteddhate' and cakes with the “vino cotto de scammaru '. And to accompany any dish, there are the good rosè wine as “Fives Roses”, the “Tear of Gallipoli”, the “Malvasia del Salento”, and the white wines such as the “Moscato di Puglia”, and the “Donna Marzia white”.

See also history of Gallipoli

Map of Gallipoli