Martano

Martano was once enclosed by high fortifications. To defend it from Turkish incursions, the lords of the time fortified the village, protecting it with majestic walls. Over time, the town has been transformed, from a fortified citadel to a welcoming village: there are no longer any defensive walls, instead travellers are invited to discover the most beautiful corners of the town, walking through its streets and alleys, admiring the beauty of its historic palazzos and baroque churches. A reminder of the village's past is the Baronial Palace, once an Aragonese castle, an imposing and severe building with its majestic elegance. Leaving the town, finally, along the road leading to Borgagne, we reach the Monastery of Santa Maria della Consolazione, immersed in the peace of centuries-old olive trees, with its small Baroque church and the museum-pinacoteca dedicated to the Gallipoli painter Giulio Pagliano.