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San Michele Salentino

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From 17th-century origins to the foundation of the town

San Michele Salentino was founded in the 17th century, when Michele Vaaz de Andrada, Count of Mola, gathered around a pre-existing farmstead a small village, known as Massarianova, settled by ninety families from Schiavonia. After the main Vaaz line died out in 1623, the fief passed in 1751 to Annibale Sisto y Britto, Duke of Ceglie Messapica. The 19th-century refoundation is due to Prince Francesco Dentice di Frasso, who in August 1839 granted land in the San Michele and Aieni districts to 61 colonist families: the parish church was built in 1882, erected as a parish in 1901, and the town was officially established on 25 October 1928.

Territory and historical evidence

Despite the recent age of the town, the territory of San Michele preserves traces of earlier settlement: in the Aieni district, less than a kilometre from the town, there is a late-medieval settlement with stables later turned into a farmstead in the 17th century. The influence of nearby Ceglie Messapica — a centre of ancient Messapian origins — is still clearly audible in the local dialect, whose cadence and vocabulary are almost identical, while historical ties with Carovigno, Ostuni and Francavilla Fontana shaped the agricultural and cultural identity of the area.

The managed cultural sites

In San Michele Salentino the Associazione Le Colonne manages the Pinacoteca Salvatore Cavallo, an exhibition space dedicated to the artist and to the local artistic heritage, a centrepiece of the community's cultural life.

Points of interest

Explore the points of interest on the map. In the full map you can click on each point to discover historical and cultural information.

Museums (1)
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Cultural experiences

The cultural experiences we offer in this city: guided visits, themed routes and dedicated activities.