Maruggio is a small town and comune

Comune

In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...

in the Taranto

Taranto

Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....

 province in the Apulia

Apulia

Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...

 region of southeast Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

. In the town there are 5,539 inhabitants.
Near Maruggio there are Torricella

Torricella

Torricella can refer to the following places in Italy:*Torricella-Taverne*Torricella Sicura*Torricella Verzate*Torricella Peligna*Torricella *Torricella del Pizzo*Torricella in Sabina...

 (6 km), Sava (10 km), Manduria

Manduria

Manduria is a city and comune of Apulia, Italy, in the province of Taranto. With c. 30,000 inhabitants, it is located 35 km east of Taranto, and 14 km north of the coast.-History:...

 (12 km) and Avetrana

Avetrana

Avetrana is a town and comune in the province of Taranto, part of the Apulia region of southeast Italy.-Main sights:*The Castle or Torrione*The Chiesa Madre *Palazzo Imperiali...

 (16 km).

History

Maruggio was founded by Gorgolano, a governator of the Byzantine empereor Niceforo Foca, with the union from the ancient hamlets of Castigno, Olivaro, Albano, Roselle and San Nicolò. After it was governed since 1317 to 1819 from the Knights of Malta

Knights Hospitaller

The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...

. Then, in 1819, it became a free common. During its history it has been attacked by Saracens that however destroyed it only once but no one died in their attacks.

Economy

Tourism is the main wealt'h source. Tourism is developed especially along the coast, in the village of Campomarino, that is very famous for its clean sea, for the wonderful beach and in particular for the harbour, that is only along the coast between Taranto

Taranto

Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....

 and Porto Cesareo

Porto Cesareo

Porto Cesareo is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....

. But the economy is tied up to the agriculture too. In fact Maruggio is famous for the oil and wine Primitivo.

Art and monuments

In this town there are also some artistic jewels. There are:

• the Monastery (16th century)
• the Mother Church (14th century)
• the Castle (or Palazzo dei Commendatori, 14th century)
• the clock tower (19th century)
• the Annunziata's Church (17th century)
• the San Giovanni's church (15th century)
• the Madonna del Verde's church (16th century).

There is also a wonderful historic center, with its medieval tortuous streets and its old palaces with wonderful balconies. The most beautiful palaces are:

• Longo's Palace (16th century)
• Morleo's Palace (19th century)
• Armieri's Palace (17th century)
• Massafra's Palace (19th century)
• Covelli-De Marco's Palace
• Caniglia's Palace where today there is a library.

There are also the old Seminar (19th century) in Campomarino and the Villa Montoto along the street for Manduria.