Castle of Ugento
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Castle of Ugento | |
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Castello di Ugento | |
Apulia, Ugento in Italy | |
Coordinates | 39°55′46″N 18°09′42″E / 39.9295°N 18.1616°E |
Type | Medieval-Renaissance castle |
Site information | |
Owner | Municipality of Ugento |
Open to the public | Yes, through guided tours except on Mondays |
Condition | Restored between 2010 and 2020 |
Site history | |
Built | 11th century-17th century |
Events | 1537: the castle came under attack by the Turks |
The Ugento Castle is a fortified architectural complex located in the municipality of Ugento in the province of Lecce.
History
The castle stands on the highest point of the city. An initial layout of the building dates back to the late imperial phase, 3rd-4th century AD, subsequently modified and completed by the
In 1537, following the occupation of the city by the
Architecture
The style used is late Baroque, a decorative style that affected all contexts of artistic expression and was the cornerstone of a period of reconstruction that transformed the architectural imprint of the area. The theme that runs through the decorative elements of the castle is centered on a play on words featuring the family surname (d'Amore) and the figures of Venus and Cupid, classical divinities of Love, as well as the matrimonial inheritance established by Pietro Giacomo, founder of the House, in order to prevent the dynasty from dying out and the property from being split up.
The iconography of the frescoes is based, especially in the so-called "Old Hall", on Ovid's Metamorphoses. These are parables that illustrate the benefit of contracting a good marriage and protecting the family heritage. In ihe family coat of arms, which we also find in one of the frescoed rooms, he is represented by a pelican who opens his chest with his beak to give his heart and entrails to his cubs. The three chicks rest on three mounds which represent the fiefdoms of Ugento, Ruffano and San Mango, of which the d'Amores were Marquises. Currently, a wing of the castle has been transformed into an elegant resort, while the ancient warehouses host an international school of Mediterranean and Salento cuisine.
References
- Il castello d'Ugento : racconto storico / Raffaello Mura. - Napoli : Francesco Tornese, 1895. - 83 p. : ill. ; 15 cm.. - CUBI 402792. - [BNI] 1895 9722.
- Il castello di Ugento e i D'Amore / Luciano Antonazzo. Fa parte di Leucadia : miscellanea storica salentina Giovanni Cingolani / Società di storia patria per la Puglia, Sezione di Tricase , A.4(2012), p. 53-59
- La saga dei d'Amore : marchesi di Ugento, principi di Ruffano, marchesi di S. Mango / Luciano Antonazzo. - Galatina : Congedo, 2011. - 193 p., [8] carte di tav. : ill. ; 24 cm. - (Biblioteca di cultura pugliese. Serie 2 ; 185).) - [ISBN] 978-88-8086-927-6.
External links
Media related to Castle (Ugento) at Wikimedia Commons