ERASMUS PROJECT K1

HELP Health Environment Life

and Perspective

THE REGIONS OF ITALY

Italy has 20 regions

OUR REGION « APULIA »

TARANTO

The city of “two seas”It’s our provincial capital

THE COAST

THE SEA

MASSAFRA MASSAFRA

ITALYITALY

THE ARMS OF MASSAFRA

Massafra, situated Massafra, situated about 16 km from about 16 km from Taranto in a region Taranto in a region called Puglia at called Puglia at 110 metres above 110 metres above sea level, is in the sea level, is in the south of Italy. It is south of Italy. It is a unique blend of a unique blend of history, art, culture history, art, culture and pleasant and pleasant landscapes. Its landscapes. Its sandy shores, sandy shores, surrounded by a surrounded by a verdant and dense verdant and dense pine wood, are pine wood, are lovely but its lovely but its ravines are a real ravines are a real treasure. treasure.

A stamp of Massafra castle

The pattern of The pattern of settlement is settlement is stratified, from the stratified, from the primitive cave primitive cave villages to the old villages to the old town centre and to town centre and to the expanding the expanding modern estates.modern estates.

The centre has a The centre has a typical regional typical regional flavour with its flavour with its groupings of little groupings of little white houses white houses interspersed with interspersed with arches, alleyways, arches, alleyways, steps, balconies and steps, balconies and drops common to the drops common to the Mediterranean urban Mediterranean urban panorama. panorama.

THE CHURCHES

“Saint Lorenzo” Church“Saint Benedetto “Church

Massafra by night

THE NATURAL LANDSCAPES

THE RAVINES THE RAVINES

The ravines, winding The ravines, winding down tortuously to down tortuously to the valley below, are the valley below, are a peculiarity of the a peculiarity of the region. They are the region. They are the product of the slow product of the slow action of the weather action of the weather on the limestone rock on the limestone rock and have been and have been compared to the compared to the canyons of Colorado.canyons of Colorado.

They have also been They have also been defined as “negative defined as “negative mountains” mountains” impressed impressed downwards into the downwards into the terrain. terrain.

Many of them have Many of them have been used for human been used for human habitation, while habitation, while others were natural others were natural spontaneous spontaneous defences. The origins defences. The origins of Massafra, with its of Massafra, with its 40 thousand 40 thousand inhabitants, are lost in inhabitants, are lost in the mists of time. It the mists of time. It probably originated as probably originated as a fortified village on a fortified village on the highlands of the highlands of Citignano in 8th Citignano in 8th century B.C. and century B.C. and gained in prestige gained in prestige after the Roman age. after the Roman age.

In the Middle Ages there was the In the Middle Ages there was the development of a cave-dwelling development of a cave-dwelling civilization, caused by Basilian monks civilization, caused by Basilian monks escaping iconoclastic persecutions. They escaping iconoclastic persecutions. They joined the original population. joined the original population.

Gorges, canyons, woods Gorges, canyons, woods and highlands are and highlands are common in life in caves common in life in caves and ravines was and ravines was widespread in all the widespread in all the South of Italy: South of Italy: settlements among the settlements among the winding Puglia, winding Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria and Basilicata, Calabria and Campania. The age of Campania. The age of the ancient settlements the ancient settlements spans more than 800 spans more than 800 years, from the 8th to years, from the 8th to the 16th century and the 16th century and shows an extraordinary shows an extraordinary range of styles and range of styles and architectural motifs, architectural motifs, being easily compared being easily compared with those of with those of Cappadocia, Serbia and Cappadocia, Serbia and Georgia. Georgia.

The caves offered The caves offered hospitality to a hospitality to a growing population growing population of refugees and local of refugees and local inhabitants. Artificial inhabitants. Artificial caves were dug caves were dug alongside the alongside the natural ones to form natural ones to form rock settlements. rock settlements. The dwellings were The dwellings were generally made up generally made up of one or two rooms of one or two rooms with monolithic with monolithic partition walls and partition walls and low, flat ceilings. low, flat ceilings.

Fireplaces were dug into the walls adjacent to the entrance, Fireplaces were dug into the walls adjacent to the entrance, and other niches were cut for the family: for grapepresses, and other niches were cut for the family: for grapepresses, oil, honey, legumes and water vessels. The walls and oil, honey, legumes and water vessels. The walls and ceilings contained holes to support sleeping benches and ceilings contained holes to support sleeping benches and wooden planks to store food or to hang lamps. Some caves wooden planks to store food or to hang lamps. Some caves contained mangers too. Unfortunately, this heritage has not contained mangers too. Unfortunately, this heritage has not survived the ravages of time, the weather and the man survived the ravages of time, the weather and the man himself. Only in recent times local and national projects himself. Only in recent times local and national projects have been undertaken to protect this cultural patrimony.have been undertaken to protect this cultural patrimony.

Gravina of San MarcoGravina of San Marco If tourists want to visit If tourists want to visit

the town, the itinerary the town, the itinerary takes them first to the takes them first to the “Gravina of San Marco”, “Gravina of San Marco”, which splits the town which splits the town into two parts, crossed into two parts, crossed by several bridges, then by several bridges, then to the “Gravina of to the “Gravina of Madonna della Scala”.Madonna della Scala”.

It is worth mentioning It is worth mentioning the “House of Igumeno” the “House of Igumeno” ( the religious and ( the religious and political chief of the local political chief of the local community), the “Crypt community), the “Crypt of San Biagio”, “S. of San Biagio”, “S. Marina” and “S. Marco”, Marina” and “S. Marco”, the “Crypt of the “Crypt of Candelora”, “Serafino” Candelora”, “Serafino” and finally the amazing and finally the amazing castle.castle.

Gravina of Madonna della Gravina of Madonna della ScalaScala

In the north of Massafra there In the north of Massafra there is the “ Valle delle rose”, so is the “ Valle delle rose”, so called because of its thick called because of its thick vegetation full of medicinal vegetation full of medicinal plants, giving the ravine and plants, giving the ravine and the town a touch of magic. the town a touch of magic. The vegetation is the classical The vegetation is the classical Mediterranean mixture of Mediterranean mixture of pines, oaks, mingled with pines, oaks, mingled with junipers, rosemary, thymes junipers, rosemary, thymes and myrtles. This ravine has and myrtles. This ravine has become a place of legends become a place of legends and myths. An example is the and myths. An example is the Madonna della Scala ( Our Madonna della Scala ( Our Lady of the Steps), object of Lady of the Steps), object of deep devotion. A superb deep devotion. A superb Sanctuary devoted to her Sanctuary devoted to her hangs upon the rocks hangs upon the rocks downward in the ravine. The downward in the ravine. The rural church is rich in antique rural church is rich in antique frescoes. frescoes.

There are about thirty There are about thirty other crypts spread over other crypts spread over the territory around the territory around Massafra, some of which of Massafra, some of which of great architectural and great architectural and iconographic value. The iconographic value. The “Crypt of Bona Nova” lies “Crypt of Bona Nova” lies inside the ravine of inside the ravine of Madonna della Scala. In Madonna della Scala. In the town centre there is the town centre there is the “Crypt of S. Anthony the “Crypt of S. Anthony (the abbot), S. Leonardo, S. (the abbot), S. Leonardo, S. Caterina”. In the Caterina”. In the surronding countryside surronding countryside there are the crypts of “ S. there are the crypts of “ S. Simone, S. Angelo di Simone, S. Angelo di Colombata, Panareddozza, Colombata, Panareddozza, S. Simine in Pantaleo”, S. Simine in Pantaleo”, etc…etc…

The caves gradually give way to the modern The caves gradually give way to the modern dwellings spreading along the slopes of dwellings spreading along the slopes of the ravines to merge with the urban the ravines to merge with the urban hinterland.hinterland.

Agriculture is the traditional economic sector in Massafra. They mainly grow:table grapes ("Italian grape" and "grape Queen"); Citrus and especially citrus clementines, belonging to the PDO "clementine Gulf of Taranto", oranges and tangerines; used in the production of PDO olive "oil Terre Tarentine."

As a result of settlements of heavy industry in the near Taranto,since the Second World War the town and tourist resourceshave been affected by widespread pollution, especially air pollution, due to the treatment of industrial waste, dioxin in the first place.   The consequences on the health of the population are significant, with the high incidence of cancer of the pleura of the lung and other diseases related to the respiratory system.

In addition, a poor appreciation of the environment and landscape, however, mitigated by the recent establishment of the Regional Park of the Ravines. Often the blades were used as illegal dumping of hazardous waste to groundwater. The sea, however, pays the consequences of abusive inshore washing of the tanks of ships in transit from the port of Taranto and the ineffectiveness of the treatment plants for waste water

THE RELIGIOUS PROCESSIONS

In Easter the holy week is lived with particular religious piety thanks to many processions.The traditions of Taranto (about twenty Km from Massafra), such as the two Addolorata's processions (on holy Thursday) and the one of the Mysteries (on holy Friday), are so attractive that every year hundreds of tourists come from every part of Italy and Europe.

THE CARNIVAL

Massafra is also famous for its carnival. Unlike other carnivals where parades occur within the fences, in Massafra inhabitants and visitors can directly participate to the masked parades, parading in the streets with the floats and other allegorical groups.

THE GASTRONOMY

Massafra qualifies itself with a simple country cousine. Specialities are ragout timballi, stuffed aubergines and the unbeatable orecchiette al cacioricotta and pizzicareddi with ewe-milk cheese, roasts meats and minced meat sausages. Legumes are another regional specialities.The cheese of Massafra are soft and the local mozzarelle are recommended.

TYPICAL APULIAN VILLAGES

“ Trulli”