The Territory

The municipality of Francavilla Fontana, recognised as a “Città d’Arte” in 2009, is located in an area where human settlements have been found since prehistoric times, as shown by the ruins of a village of huts found in località Cadetto and dating back to the middle Neolithic period. The town preserves signs of the ancient Via Appia, travelled by the Romans to reach the port of Brindisi and to embark for the East. The town is rich in history, art and culture, and is worth visiting and living intensely. In particular one of the most important religious buildings is the Pontificia Minore del Santissimo Rosario church with the dome tiled with majolica, the tallest in the whole of the Salento which contains paintings by the local artist Domenico Carella; the Chiesa dei Padri Liguorini, commissioned by Filippo d’Angiò for the Franciscan monks in 1322; the Chiesa di Santa Chiara del 1836, in neoclassical style; the Santuario della Madonna della Croce, containing beautiful wooden decorations and some painting from the Eighteenth century; the Chiesa di San Sebastiano, in Baroque style, with the adjacent Convento degli Scolopi. Francavilla Fontana also has some civil architecture of great interest: it has some important baronial palazzi including the Palazzo Caroli, Palazzo Carissimo, Palazzo Argentina, Palazzo Bottari and Palazzo Caniglia, all located in the historical town centre. Instead, in piazza Umberto I there is the remarkable Clock Tower on which, at a later period, the sun dial was installed. Also not to be missed is the majestic Castle, residence of the Imperiali Princes for more than two centuries, the artistic Seventeenth century portals of the palazzi, the huge town gates (Porta del Carmine, Porta dei Cappuccini and Porta Croce), the alleyways and the “piazzette” of the historic centre that become the natural and evocative scenario in which the “Religious celebrations of Holy Week” take place. Art find expression in the papiermachè objects produced by the artisan workshops or in the simple and exquisite curly sugarcoated almonds. Moving outside the centre, the countryside is dominated by stretches of monumental olive trees, by the typical dry stone walls and by old farmhouses which today are beautiful holiday and teaching farms. Characteristic of the area are the very ancient specchie, piles of stones dating back to the Messapi period, used as lookouts or also as tombs. Near Specchia Calò, on the other hand, passes the route leading from Francavilla Fontana to the beautiful area of Mediterranean brush of contrada Cantagallo, known as the balcony over the Ionian Sea because of the beautiful panoramic view to be enjoyed from there.

Typical products

Curly sugar-coated almond, cartellate, ravioli with ricotta, DOP extra virgin oil, wine.

Among the excellent sweets we must remember the curly sugar- coated almond, included among the traditional foods of Puglia, produced exclusively at Francavilla Fontana in a rigorously artisan manner, with the huge copper pan over red-hot holm-oak charcoal, famous for its quality of keeping a constant temperature, and using very few ingredients such as: almonds, sugar, water and natural aromas.

The rites of Holy Week (regional appointment).

It is common knowledge that the Holy Week in many towns of Southern Italy is one of the most heartfelt moments in the religious life of people. Rites and ceremonies, that have been handed down for centuries, take place in that week. Within the extensive wealth of the Italian sacred popular traditions, the Rites of the Holy Week of Francavilla Fontana are to be included among the moments of the highest popular devoutness, lived with a unique intensity of feeling and the intense personal emotiveness of the whole town community. The brotherhoods are the leading protagonists of the rites. With the same love and devotion each year, they accurately organize the affecting and original processions by which the dramatic moments of the Passion of Jesus Christ and of the sorrows of the Virgin Mary are relived.    After the celebration of the Holy Mass the members of the Church of Carmine (known as the “I Pappamusci”), dressed in their hooded robes, barefoot and carrying a staff, set out on their sacred, ancient pilgrimage. They visit every church in Francavilla, kneeling down to pray before the Altar known as the “Sepulchre”. On the evening of Good Friday papier-maché statues dating back to the Eighteen and Nineteenth centuries and the strong dramatic feeling of the procession of the Mysteries, create an atmosphere of very intense emotion. The procession of the Risen Christ which cancels pain to leave way for life is held on Easter Sunday.

FESTE PATRONALI

Festa della Madonna del Carmine
Luglio
Rito religioso e civile.

Fiera di San Lorenzo
Agosto
Rito religioso e civile.

Festa dei Santi Medici Cosma e Damiano
Agosto
Rito religioso e civile.

Festa patronale della Madonna della Fontana
Settembre
Rito religioso e civile.

Festa dell’Immacolata
Dicembre
Rito religioso e civile.

FIERE
Fiera di San Marco
Dopo la Pasqua, a Francavilla Fontana si svolge la Festa della Madonna della Croce.

Fiera Nazionale dell’Ascensione
Maggio
Voluta dalla famiglia Imperiali agli inizi del Settecento, successivamente fu pian piano trascurata. Nel 1929, il podestà Pompeo Pisciotta decise di riproporla. Diventato polo fieristico regionale tra i più importanti, la fiera dell’Ascensione è una maestosa esposizione, capace di attrarre aziende da ogni parte del Mezzogiorno d’Italia.

Fiera dei Saperi e dei Sapori
Settembre
Manifestazione enogastronomica; tradizionale fiera dedicata ai prodotti alimentari genuini.

May National Fair of the Ascension, most important trade fair in the Ionian-Salento area – (during the month).

September Historical procession: events commemorating the main periods in the town’s history – (Third week of the month).

During the summer months Night of the Imperiali: night of organised activities in various areas of the town centre.

EVENTI
Notte degli Imperiali
Estate
Notte bianca organizzata in vari punti della città. Durante tutta la notte, lungo le strade si allestiscono numerosi spettacoli musicali, teatrali e culturali.

Corteo storico
Settembre
Il corteo storico è una manifestazione che ripercorre le tappe principali della storia della città. Il corteo si svolge quasi sempre la terza domenica di settembre ed è costituito da circa seicento figuranti che vestono abiti medievali, rinascimentali e barocchi. La sfilata si conclude con la cavalcata simbolica del principe Michele Imperiali e della sua consorte nel quartiere fieristico, terminando con la consegna delle chiavi della città.

Presepe Vivente
Dicembre

MERCATO INFRASETTIMANALE
Il sabato.

Evangelista Menga [… – …] italian military architect of the XVI^th century. He was an architect and a soldier at the service of Charles V^th and creator of the Castles of Copertino, Barletta, Mola di Bari, Parabita, of the defensive tower of Margherita di Savoia and of the fortifications of Malta duting the 1565 siege.

Carlo Borromeo [1538 – 1584], cardinal and archbishop of Milan, lord of Francavilla. He is known for his reformes in the Catholic Church, with Ignazio of Loyola in the XVI^th century.

Michele Imperiali Junior [Naples, 7^th July 1719 – Naples, 10^th February 1782] noble of Francavilla, belonging to the Imperiali family. Known for his philantropy, thanks to the important economic support given to rebuild the Mother Church, seriously damaged by the earthquake in 1743.

Domenico Antonio Carella (Francavilla Fontana, 1721 – Martina Franca, 1813) was an artist and italian painter.

His artistic career was inspired by Francesco Solimena and Pompeo Batani, coming up beside Corrado Giaquinto and Luca Giordano later. The artist worked in Martina Franca too, around 1770, where his fame was approved, working on the frescos of the Ducal Palace of the Duke Francesco III^rd Caracciolo in several rooms. Respected and considered a prolific artist in Apulia, he worked in the areas of Alberobello, Calvera, Cerosino, Castellaneta, Ceglie Messapica, Conversano, Copertino, Erchie, Ferrandina, Francavilla Fontana, Mesagne, Monopoli, Mottola, Palagiano, Rutigliano, Taranto, Terlizzi, Torre Santa Susanna during the XVIII^th century.

Giovanni Calò [Francavilla Fontana, 24^th December 1882 – Francavilla Fontana, 25^th May 1970] was an italin politician and educationist. He was teacher and headmaster to the University of Florence. Moreover, he was also vice president in the Chamber of the Deputies during the Presidence of Enrico De Nicola and undersecretary to the Public Instruction during the first Facta government.

Clementina Forleo [Francavilla Fontana, 31^st January 1963] italian magistrate. She conducts several jurisdictional activities on a national level.

B&B, HOTEL and HOUSE:

• IMPERIALI HOTEL
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)

Via D’Angiò, n°2

Tel 0831 819617

www.imperialihotel.com
• MASSERIA NUOVA FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR) zona campagna
Contrada Masseria Nuova
Cell 347 5515217
www.masserianuova.it
• B&B IMPERIALI
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR) zona centro

Via Francesco Baracca, n°75

Tel. 0831 811281 Cell. 320 0821575
www.beb-imperiali.it

CAFE, RESTAURANTS e PIZZERIAS:

• RISTORANTE ARCO OLIMPIO
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
V. Arco Olimpo, n°4
Cell 328 8017958, Tel 0831 843782

• LA BUONA LUNA
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
Via Vittorio Alfieri, n°23
Cell 393 6732455
• RISTORANTE AL PICCOLO MONDO PIZZERIA
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
Via San Francesco, n°98
Cell 328 9703615 Tel 0831 815169

• CASA RESTA – SALA RICEVIMENTI
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
Superstrada Taranto-Brindisi
Tel 0831 899393

• CAFFE’ CENTRALE S.A.S. DI LEONE ANNA & C.
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
Piazza Umberto I, n°7
Tel 0831 844309

• CAFÈ NOIR DI MILONE ANTONIO
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
Corso Umberto I, 91
Tel 0831 1980892

• BAR CHOPIN DI L. ARGENTIERO
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
Corso Umberto I, 86
Tel 0831 843796 Cell 320 6829867

• BAR AURORA
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
Corso Garibaldi, n°41
Tel 0831 841976

FARM HOUSE e EDUCATIONAL FARMS:

• AGRITURISMO MASSERIA NUOVA
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
S.pr. Francavilla Fontana – Sava, n°6
Tel 0831 618152

• AGRITURISMO TRITICUM
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
Via Ceglie
Tel 0831 1820105

FARMS:

• AZIENDA AGRICOLA VECCHIO
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
via Nicola Distante, n° 34
Cell 389 0757189

• AZIENDA AGRICOLA F.lli TURRISI
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
E-mail tonyturrisi@hotmail.it

• AZIENDA AGRICOLA INCALZA VITO
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
Giacomo Leopardi, n°43
Cell 327 8832555

• AZIENDA AGRICOLA SCAZZERI
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
Corso Umberto I, n°95

• CALIANDRO GIUSEPPE
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
Via Carlo Alberto dalla Chiesa, n°1
Tel 0831 853416

• AZIENDA AGRICOLA FRATELLI BIANCO
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
Via Carlo Pisacane, n°21

• AZIENDA AGRICOLA ARGENTIERO ANTONIO E FIGLI
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
Via Suor Antonietta Zullino, n°37
Tel 0831 854195

• MASSERIA PALMO
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
Contrada Palmo, n°1
www.agriturismopalmo.com
Tel 0831 810818

• SGCL VINI SRL SOCIETA’ AGRICOLA
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
Via Simeana, n°41

• AZIENDA AGRICOLA RICCHIUTI ANTONIO
FRANCAVILLA FONTANA (BR)
Via Libertà, n°55