This great coastal municipality of the Brindisi province was founded between the VIII and the IX centuries around the Basilian church of St. Peter in a place called “Vernotico”. In 1300 the University of San Pietro Vernotico was founded by the Mayor together with the Auditors, the Parliament and the Captain. In 1323, the local population rebelled against the Angevin King’s oppression, who consequently exempted St. Peter’s University from paying taxes. The feudatory Bishop built the Square Tower (Torre Quadrata) in 1380, where the feud’s Baron had his base. The Mother Church was built around the year 1400, and was immediately part of the Universitas Sancti Petri Vernotici. In 1480, the citizens of San Pietro Vernotico repelled the Turks and seized their flag. History goes that the Turkish army led by Achmet Pasha, which had already sacked many adjacent villages, was approaching S. Pietro, but was sighted in time from the top of the “Torre dalle vedette” (the lookout tower). All the citizens participated to the defence of the village and they eventually won the battle against the Barbarians conquering their flag.
NOT TO BE MISSED
Among the monuments, not to lose the Square Tower, built in 1380, then surrounded by a wall and provided with a drawbridge. Moreover, very beautiful the Mother Church, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, the church of St. Anthony, St. Peter, the oldest in the city, the church of Our Lady of Mount Caramel and the Church of Our Lady of Sanarica.
Significant then the valley villa, built by a wealthy merchant of wines around 1910, situated in the center of the country and built mainly of stone from Lecce.
To see also:
Boschi
Case a cannizzi
DATING
Every year the Tradition of the Flagstaff (Asta della Bandiera) is celebrated on the Sunday after Easter to commemorate the conquest of the Turks’ flag and the victory. Visit the
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