Cavallino, il comune messapico ricco di Rinascimento e Barocco

Dario Melissano 17 February 2025

Cavallino is a town rich in history and culture, with a population of almost 13 thousand inhabitants, located south of Lecce. The town preserves important archaeological evidence dating back to the Messapian civilization, including the surrounding walls and some tombs, which testify to the liveliness of an indigenous settlement before its destruction by the populations of Taranto. Today the remains of the Messapian settlement are included in a museum itinerary, called the widespread museum of the Messapian civilization.

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Traces of the Byzantine presence are expressed by the crypt kept under the Chapel of the Madonna del Monte. While the Mother Church dedicated to the Santissima Maria Assunta corresponds to the Baroque period. It is a fascinating example of religious architecture. Access is via six decreasing steps, making the entrance majestic. The plan of the church, in the shape of a Latin cross, has a single nave covered by a cross vault and a transept that extends into two arms.

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The origins of the name “Cavallino” are uncertain, but it is assumed that it derives from the Latin term “caballus” or the Greek root “kàbas”. The architectural heritage also includes a ducal castle dating back to the 15th century.

case vacanze a cavallino 11 media

The archaeological interest of Cavallino is completed by the presence of the Specchia Salentina, a very strange find from the Messapian era, and by the Menhir of Ussano, over 2 metres high with an octagonal section.

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Cavallino, the Messapian municipality rich in Renaissance and Baroque

Written by Dario Melissano

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Cavallino, the Messapian municipality rich in Renaissance and Baroque

Written by Dario Melissano

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