San Vito dei Normanni
San Vito dei Norman is a town with 19,494 inhabitants (as of 31 December 2012) in the Italian province of Brindisi in Puglia.
- 3.1 Structures 3.1.1 Santa Maria della Vittoria
- 3.1.2 Castle
Location and data
San Vito dei Norman is located about 9 km from the Adriatic coast, 20 km from Brindisi, about 55 km from Lecce and about 100 km from Bari. San Vito is spread over an area of 6,636 ha and is on average 108 meters above sea level. The highest point of the municipality is the 119 m high mountain Castello d' Alceste.
Neighboring municipalities are Brindisi, Carovigno, Francavilla Fontana, Latiano, Mesagne, Ostuni and San Michele Salentino. The Frazioni ( districts ) of San Vito are Conforto, Favorita, San Giacomo and San Vito Scalo
History
In the area of San Vito, in the immediate vicinity of the city, archaeological remains of prehistoric settlements dating from the years 1800-1700 were BC ( burial sites with remains of 30 graves and ceramics from the Early Bronze Age ) and the ancient ( 7 and 8. century) found.
According to some historians, the city was founded in the late 10th century by Scho cats, other historians assert, however, the foundation was due to the Normans ( 11th or 12th century ), and in particular Bohemond of Altavilla ( 1050-1111 ), the narratives by had built the square tower, around which later the feudal castle was built. The small village grew towards the end of the Middle Ages, when the inhabitants of the neighboring farms, thanks to the defending protection of the tower moved to San Vito, in order to escape the raids of the Turks, but only in the 15th century, the ancient farm was organized for community, was a fief and received the royal protection.
Over the centuries, the settlement was called San Vito degli Schiavoni (after the name of Slavic citizens of the Republic of Venice ) or simply San Vito only in Terra d'Otranto. By Royal Decree of 13 December 1863, the municipality adopted its present name in San Vito. The President of the Republic has the municipality of San Vito dei Norman conceded with the special decree of 14 April 1994, the name of the city.
From 1964 to 2000 operated the U.S. armed forces on the former military airfield San Vito dei Norman a Wullenweber - circuit antenna system, which was named because of its size as the " Colosseum ".
Population Development
During 1861 there were only 4,853 Sanvitesi, it was the turn of the century 9,349 inhabitants. Before the Second World War lived in San Vito around 15,000 people, in 1961 there were about 19,000 people to the largest population of 20.483 inhabitants in 1991. Nowadays San Vito has 19,801 inhabitants.
Culture and sights
Structures
Santa Maria della Vittoria
The Basilica of Santa Maria della Vittoria is the baroque mother church of San Vito. During the Baroque elements of the facade were added in the 18th century, is the three-nave church from the year 1571st From 1980 to 1992 major renovation work took place. On December 30, Pope John Paul II declared that the Church of the Minor Basilica. Besides the great Baroque main portal of bronze, there are two bronze doors of the sculptor Ernesto Lamagna. The church altar is from 1777. Inside the church many statues and paintings, including The Last Supper in 1777, the birth of the Virgin of Santa Maria della Vittoria in 1667 and are from 1610.
Castle
The Dentex di Frasso castle was built by Boemondo d' Altavilla in the 12th century. After the transformations in subsequent periods the square towers and parts of the castle walls have just left.
Music
Every year the Festival Barocco, a Baroque music festival in honor of originating from San Vito composer Leonardo Leo.
Museum
The Museo Civiltà Rurale in a convent dating from the 17th century shows since 2001 testimonies of local popular culture and economic life from the 8th to the mid-20th century.
Twin Cities
Personalities
- Leonardo Leo (1694-1744), Barockkmponist
- Vito Buonsanto (1762-1850), writer, philosopher and academics
- Vito Donato Epifani (1848-1922), writer and lawyer.
- Lanza del Vasto (1901-1981), poet and writer
- Francesco Gioia ( born 1938 ), Catholic Archbishop