Monteroni
Encyclopedia
Monteroni di Lecce is a town and comune
in the province of Lecce
, Apulia
, southern Italy
town with ca. 13,600 inhabitants. It is located at 7 km from Lecce
, in the area called Salento
(reported until recently also as Terra d'Otranto
).
s. In fact originally the Romans
apparently established a military stronghold on the hill nowadays called San Filii. From this era of romanisation
of the region, coins and other archaeological material has been found and studied.
During the Norman period, the fiefdom of Monteroni was part of the County of Lecce
. In 1250 Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II
(and also sovereign of the Kingdom of Sicily
) granted the fiefdom to the De Cremona family, followed in this feudal office by the Montoroni family who held it until the 16th century. The Montoroni built the first Baronial Palace
in the town in the original shape of a small fortress.
When the fief passed onto the Duke of Spongano
, the Baronial Palace was enlarged and gained the current Leccese Baroque style. Monteroni di Lecce owes the baroque period also its bell tower and the two chapels which were located in the central square (currently “Piazza I. Falconieri”) on the site currently occupied by the major church “Chiesa Matrice
”.
Feudalism
in the south of Italy was abolished with the events following the French Revolution
when also the Kingdom of Naples
became a republic and then a Napoleonic kingdom. Since then it was the “Municipality of Monteroni di Lecce” which took over and carried on the sorts of the fief of Monteroni.
More contemporary architecture include:
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 province of Lecce
Province of Lecce
The Province of Lecce is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Lecce. Totally included in the Salento peninsula, it is the second most populous province in Apulia and the twenty-first most populous in Italy....
, 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...
, southern 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...
town with ca. 13,600 inhabitants. It is located at 7 km from Lecce
Lecce
Lecce is a historic city of 95,200 inhabitants in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Lecce, the second province in the region by population, as well as one of the most important cities of Puglia...
, in the area called Salento
Salento
Salento is the south-eastern extremity of the Apulia region of Italy. It is a sub-peninsula of the main Italian Peninsula, sometimes described as the "heel" of the Italian "boot"...
(reported until recently also as Terra d'Otranto
Terra d'Otranto
Terra d'Otranto was an ancient administrative division of the Kingdom of Naples, consisting of a giustizierato and then converted into a Province of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Now it belongs to Apulia region and is located in the Province of Lecce....
).
History
Probably the name Monteroni comes from Latin Mons Tyronum, meaning "mount of the spear-men" and hinting its origin as a training camp for the Roman legionRoman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
s. In fact originally the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
apparently established a military stronghold on the hill nowadays called San Filii. From this era of romanisation
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
of the region, coins and other archaeological material has been found and studied.
During the Norman period, the fiefdom of Monteroni was part of the County of Lecce
County of Lecce
The County of Lecce was a semi-independent entity in Puglia, southern Italy, which existed from 1055 to 1463. Its capital was Lecce, and it was bounded by territories of Brindisi on the north, Oria and Nardò on the west, and Soleto and Otranto on the south....
. In 1250 Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
Frederick II
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
(and also sovereign of the Kingdom of Sicily
Kingdom of Sicily
The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy...
) granted the fiefdom to the De Cremona family, followed in this feudal office by the Montoroni family who held it until the 16th century. The Montoroni built the first Baronial Palace
Baronial Palace, Monteroni
The Baronial Palace is a historical edifice in Monteroni di Lecce, Apulia, southern Italy. One of the largest baronial palaces in the province of Lecce, it was originally a "castrum" , built by the feudal lords Montoroni...
in the town in the original shape of a small fortress.
When the fief passed onto the Duke of Spongano
Spongano
Spongano is a town and comune in the province of Lecce, in the Apulia region of south-east Italy....
, the Baronial Palace was enlarged and gained the current Leccese Baroque style. Monteroni di Lecce owes the baroque period also its bell tower and the two chapels which were located in the central square (currently “Piazza I. Falconieri”) on the site currently occupied by the major church “Chiesa Matrice
Chiesa Matrice
The Chiesa Matrice is a church in Erice, Sicily, southern Italy. It dates back the beginning of the 15th century and is built in the shape of a Latin cross with two entrances. The church is enriched by numerous Baroque altars and paintings from the 17th century. A silver statue of St...
”.
Feudalism
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
in the south of Italy was abolished with the events following the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
when also the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
became a republic and then a Napoleonic kingdom. Since then it was the “Municipality of Monteroni di Lecce” which took over and carried on the sorts of the fief of Monteroni.
Main sights
- Baronial Palace.
- Chiesa Matrice (mother church).
- Town Hall (17th century)
- The villas and mansions that the region’s aristocratic families build in the countryside around of Monteroni di Lecce since the 15th century (this exploit of aristocratic country-houses actually took place throughout the whole area of Valle della CupaValle della CupaValle della Cupa is an area of Italy centered around the town of Lecce, including the towns of Trepuzzi, Novoli, Carmiano, Arnesano, Monteroni, San Pietro in Lama, Lequile and San Cesareo di Lecce. Since the 15th century, the region's aristocracy has elected the area as their ideal place for...
on the south-west of Lecce). These include: Villa RomanoVilla RomanoVilla Romano is one of the greatest estates of "Valle della Cupa" and the biggest in Monteroni di Lecce, Italy. It was designed by Raffaele Politi...
(the biggest of Monteroni’s aristocratic estates), Villa Carelli-PalombiVilla Carelli-PalombiVilla Carelli-Palombi is a historic patrician residence in Monteroni di Lecce, Italy, whose main building dates back to the Middle Ages. Its most striking feature is garden, characterized by exotic flowers and trees from as far as Japan, China and Taiwan....
, Villa de GiorgiVilla de GiorgiBuilt by the renowned phthisiologist Gioacchino de Giorgi, Villa de Giorgi is a mansion located in Monteroni di Lecce, Puglia, southern Italy. The building's architecture and style are Medieval with battlements and Gothic-styled windows...
, Villa UrselliVilla UrselliVilla Urselli is a mansion located in Monteroni di Lecce, Italy, at the heart of Valle della Cupa. The current façade dates back to the late 19th century. The surrounding formal garden includes also more than a century old cycads.- External links :*...
, Villa BruniVilla BruniVilla Bruni is an aristocratic Italian mansion located at the heart of “Valle della Cupa”.Designed by architect Raffaele Politi in Art-Nouveau style spilling into classical Ionic themes, it was built in 1901 near two other monumental villas of Monteroni di Lecce...
, Villa SaettaVilla SaettaVilla Saetta is a mansion located in Monteroni di Lecce, Puglia, southern Italy, originally built by the local barons as a farming estate.The name comes from that of the monk that a legend tells living in this country-area in very ancient times. The estate includes a chapel and many building for...
.
More contemporary architecture include:
- Velodromo degli Ulivi, the cycling course where the World Cycling ChampionshipWorld Cycling ChampionshipThe UCI Road World Championships, often referred to as the World Cycling Championships, is the annual world championship for bicycle road racing organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale . The UCI Road World Championships include championships for elite men's road race and individual time trial...
took place in 1976 - the “Ecotekne” campus of the University of LecceUniversity of LecceThe University of Salento is a university located in Lecce, Italy. It was founded in 1955 and is organized in 10 Faculties.The University of Salento commenced activities in the academic year 1955-56 under the “Salentine University Council”...
.