Palagiano, the town of mandarines

azienda agricola terre fatiguso palagiano

Dario Melissano 26 February 2025

Palagiano is an Italian municipality located in the province of Taranto, within the Puglia region. With a population of around 15,694 inhabitants, this town is renowned for its thriving production of citrus fruits, especially clementines, and stands out for its strategic geographical position, which places it at the crossroads of important communication routes between the North, Basilicata and Calabria.

The territory of Palagiano presents numerous blades, wide karst furrows, and rivers such as the Lato and the Lenne. In the immediate vicinity is the Stornara Nature Reserve, a protected area of great ecological and landscape importance, known for its rich biodiversity and for the presence of the Aleppo pine, which grows luxuriantly on the sand dunes.

The history of Palagiano is full of events and influences deriving from various dominations, including those of the Normans, the Aragonese and the Saracens. Over the centuries, the town has suffered several raids and sieges. A crucial moment in its evolution was the land reform of 1952, which marked the beginning of a period of economic and cultural growth, with the redistribution of land among local families and the choice to plant citrus fruits in a territory that for meteorological and mining reasons is very well suited to such plants.

Palagiano is also the custodian of a significant architectural and cultural heritage. Among the most important churches, the Chiesa Matrice di Maria Santissima Annunziata stands out, with its façade representing a transition between the Baroque and Neoclassical styles. No less important is the Chiesa dell’Immacolata, the oldest in the area, which has a fascinating history linked to the Franciscan order. Furthermore, the area is rich in archaeological sites, such as the Roman villa known as “Parete Pinto” and several necropolises that testify to the presence of human settlements since ancient times.

Culturally, Palagiano is a place rich in folkloristic traditions. One of the most heartfelt celebrations is dedicated to the Madonna della Stella, during which processions take place and typical local dishes are prepared, such as “Tagghiarìn”, a pasta that is distributed to the faithful.

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Palagiano, the town of mandarines

Written by Dario Melissano

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