The center of Greek-Byzantine origin, originated in the 9th century. It was later subjected to Roman rule. After the rule of Tancredi of Lecce, the Norman, Aradeo was granted as a fief to the Montefusco family, from which it passed first to the Orsini del Balzo and then to the monastery of Santa Caterina d’Alessandria of Galatina.
According to the historian Giacomo Arditi, the name Aradeo derives from the Latin terms ara, arae or “altar” and Dei which means “of God”. More recent studies, by Prof. Gino Pisanò, derive the name from the Greek charadreon which means “place crossed by streams”. This last hypothesis is supported by the presence of numerous underground streams due to the karst nature of the land.
Between the 13th and 14th centuries AD it was the seat of an important philosophical school, engaged in an intense activity of copying and commenting on Aristotelian texts, which arose around the poet Droso of Aradeo. But Aradeo has never stopped spreading art and culture in the land of Puglia. Only in the twentieth century were musicians such as Pino Zimba, the Après la Classe, Emma Marrone, Romeus, Gabriele Blandini born or raised here; theatre groups such as the Cantieri Koreja company, dancers such as Antonio Carallo, who worked for years with Pina Bausch, filmmakers such as Giovanni Minerba, director of the GLBT film festival of Turin. Even Domenico Modugno, to whom the municipal theatre is dedicated, spent his youth in Aradeo
Among the architectural-monumental art, worthy of note is the Church of the Annunziata, built in 1450 and subsequently remodeled, equipped with a high altar in Baroque style adorned with twisted columns (i.e. twisted in spirals along the vertical axis). Also worthy of note is the baronial palace of the Tre Masserie, from the 16th century, near which stands a votive column dedicated to Saint John the Baptist erected between the end of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century.
Don’t miss the Carnival rites and the festival dedicated to SS. Annunziata, on March 30. In addition, the traditional livestock fair is held on the second Sunday of May to celebrate the feast of the protector of Aradeo, San Nicola, and in the evening the characteristic procession of the Saint on a papier-mâché boat to commemorate his journey from Myra to Bari. Finally, on August 16 and 17, every year, the festival of San Rocco is held, in whose honor the streets and courtyards are tinged with gold with the typical lights and people dance to the rhythm of the pizzica.
Taralli all'Uvetta e Cipolla
Taralli with Salento Dried Tomatoes
Nula
Sciana
Country Orecchiette
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