Grottaglie

**Grottaglie** is a town and _comune_ in the province of Taranto, Apulia, in southern Italy.

## Geography

Grottaglie is in the Salento peninsula, a whole rock of Limestone dividing Adriatic Sea from Ionian Sea. The countryside around the city has many large and deep ravines.

## History

The name Grottaglie comes from the Latin ***Cryptae Aliae***, meaning "many ravines". People lived here since the paleolithic Age. The fief of Grottaglie was given by the Norman overlords to the Archdiocese of Taranto in the 11th century. In the 14th century the church gave the fief a walls and a castle.

Since the 15th-17th centuries the jurisdiction over Grottaglie fief was split between the ecclesiastic administration (civil law) and the lay feudal lords (criminal law, Cicinelli-Caracciolo family). Fights between these two competing authorities and revolts by the heavily-taxed population were common until the end of feudalism (1806).

## Main sights

- The massive _Castello Episcopio_ (13th century) castle.
- The main church, also known as _Chiesa Matrice_, dating back to 1379.
- The city's oratory, known as Purgatory Oratory.
- _Palazzo Cicinelli_, a massive building on the main square later redecoreted to the current fashion during the Baroque period. The palazzo was the seat of the Duke of Grottaglie also Prince of Cursi and Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, hence the residence of the feudal lords of the town on the grant of Bohemo.
- _Palazzo Urselli_, which maintains the original Renaissance (pre-Baroque) façade, with a massive 15th century gate and a decorated internal courtyard.
- _Palazzo Maggiulli-Cometa_, whose structure is similar to Palazzo Urselli’s.
- Palazzo De Felice, an 18th Century palace, and ancestral home of the De Felice's family.
- Monastero di Francesco di Paola, representing the greatest Baroque monument in the city. It has a splendid cloistered-court inside.
- _Chiesa del Carmine_, housing a 1530 stone crib scene made by Stefano da Putignano.

## Culture

Folkloristic and religious events include the commemoration-day of Ciro di Alessandria d'Egitto and Easter-period when the Medieval-rooted confraternal religious orders perform their processions during the days of the Holy Week (Easter rituals include Procession and pilgrimage of confrères called “Bubble-Bubble” through the streets of town).

Other events include:
- The exhibition “Ceramica nel Quartiere delle Ceramiche”
- The Mediterranean ceramics contest, theatrical and musical events
- Promotion of dessert grapes, months of July–August–September
- Exhibition-contest about ceramic crib scene during the months of December and January
- “Musica Mundi” – international festival of ethnic music in July.

## Economy

Grapes and ceramics are two main elements of the local economy.

Alenia Composite is a factory of Alenia group making parts for the Boeing 787.

## Infobox (italian comune)

- **name**: Grottaglie
- **official name**: Comune di Grottaglie
- **image skyline**: Grottaglie_madonna_del_lume.jpg
- **image caption**: Church of Madonna del Lume.
- **image shield**: Grottaglie-Stemma.svg
- **pushpin label position**: left
- **region**: Apulia
- **province**: Province of Taranto, Taranto (TA)
- **frazioni**: Carraro delle Vacche, Paparazio
- **mayor**: Ciro D'Alò (Lista civica Grottaglie ON)
- **elevation m**: 133
- **area total km2**: 102.12
- **population as of**: December 31 2014
- **population total**: 32114
- **population demonym**: Grottagliesi
- **telephone**: 099
- **postalcode**: 74023
- **saint**: St. Francis of Geronimo, St. Cyrus
- **day**: January 31
- **postal code**: 74023
- **area code**: 099