Manduria
Encyclopedia
Manduria is a city and comune
of Apulia
, Italy
, in the province of Taranto
. With c. 30,000 inhabitants, it is located 35 km east of Taranto, and 14 km north of the coast.
against Tarentum
. Archidamus III
, king of Sparta
, fell beneath its walls in 338 BC, while leading the army of the latter (Manduria is also referred to as "Mandonion" in works by the Greek and Roman historian Plutarch
). Manduria revolted against Hannibal, but was taken in 209 BC.
Pliny the Elder
mentions Manduria in Natural History. He describes a well with a strangely constant water level. No matter how much water was taken out the water level never changed. The well also features an almond tree growing right from the middle of the well shaft. The well may still be seen today.
The town was destroyed by the Saracens in the 10th century. The inhabitants bebuilt on the site of the present town, which they renamed Casalnuovo. In 1700 they took back the ancient name of Manduria.
The symbol of the city is a well with an almond
tree growing from the center, which was mentioned by the Roman author Pliny the Elder
in Naturalis Historia
, a work published in the 1st century AD. The well (named Fonte Pliniano after Pliny the Elder ) can still be seen today exactly as it was described some 2,000 years ago, with the almond tree still rising out of the center. Other sights include:
The quality of Primitivo wine has been recognized in Italy for centuries. It was once mainly used for blending by more commercially successful wineries in Northern Italy. They relied on it to give their wines depth. Because of a general lack of commercialization in Apulia, Primitivo is still largely unknown outside of Italy. Small-scale producers have a hard time reaching the international market to compete on the same level as more famous Italian wine varieties.
The Primitivo grape variety was discovered to be genetically similar to California's Zinfandel
. It has its roots in the oldest of wine traditions. The Primitivo grape is told to have originated in ancient Greece and been bought over by some of the first settlers of the Italian peninsula.
Primitivo di Manduria DOC
is made from 100% Primitivo grapes (unlike other Primitivo wines, like Gioia del Colle Primitivo, which are blends). This wine is also characterized by an unusually high alcohol by volume
percentage - around 14%. Wines made from Primitivo have notes of plum and spice, like Zinfandel, but because of different growing soils and climate, the fruit character is less jammy, the structure more akin to old world wines, with rustic notes of earth and spice, as well as tamed fruit flavors
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, in the province of Taranto
Province of Taranto
The Province of Taranto is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Taranto.It has an area of 2,437 km², and a total population of 580,588...
. With c. 30,000 inhabitants, it is located 35 km east of Taranto, and 14 km north of the coast.
History
It was an important stronghold of the MessapiiMessapii
thumb|220px|Messapic ceramic, Archaeological Museum of [[Oria, Italy|Oria]], Apulia.The Messapii were an ancient tribe that inhabited, in historical times, the south-eastern peninsula or "heel" of Italy , known variously in ancient times as Calabria, Messapia and Iapygia...
against Tarentum
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
. Archidamus III
Archidamus III
Archidamus III , the son of Agesilaus II, was king of Sparta from 360 BC to 338 BC.While still a prince, he was the eispnelas of Cleonymus, son of Sphodrias. He interceded with his own father to spare his aites' father's life in a legal matter, an action which further intensified friction between...
, king of Sparta
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
, fell beneath its walls in 338 BC, while leading the army of the latter (Manduria is also referred to as "Mandonion" in works by the Greek and Roman historian Plutarch
Plutarch
Plutarch then named, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. 46 – 120 AD, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
). Manduria revolted against Hannibal, but was taken in 209 BC.
Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
mentions Manduria in Natural History. He describes a well with a strangely constant water level. No matter how much water was taken out the water level never changed. The well also features an almond tree growing right from the middle of the well shaft. The well may still be seen today.
The town was destroyed by the Saracens in the 10th century. The inhabitants bebuilt on the site of the present town, which they renamed Casalnuovo. In 1700 they took back the ancient name of Manduria.
Main sights
The modern city is close to the site of the ancient Manduria, considerable remains of the defences of which can still be seen; they consisted of a double line of wall built of rectangular blocks of stone, without mortar, and with a broad ditch in front. Ancient tombs with gold ornaments were found in 1886.The symbol of the city is a well with an almond
Almond
The almond , is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree...
tree growing from the center, which was mentioned by the Roman author Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
in Naturalis Historia
Naturalis Historia
The Natural History is an encyclopedia published circa AD 77–79 by Pliny the Elder. It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the Roman Empire to the modern day and purports to cover the entire field of ancient knowledge, based on the best authorities available to Pliny...
, a work published in the 1st century AD. The well (named Fonte Pliniano after Pliny the Elder ) can still be seen today exactly as it was described some 2,000 years ago, with the almond tree still rising out of the center. Other sights include:
- Chiesa Madre (or Collegiata) of medieval origin but renovated in the 16th century.
- Church of San Pietro Mandurino, probably a Hellenistic hall tomb adapted as a church in the 8th-9th century AD. Is opened to visits by the public only during certain celebrations.
- Church of the Holy Trinity (11th/12th centuries). It has a façade with three Renaissance portals and a rose window. The 15th century bell tower is decorated by large masks of unknown origin.
- Church of SS. Rosario.
- Church of SS. Immacolata.
- Church of Santa Lucia (1540)
- Medieval Jewish GhettoGhettoA ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
. - Castle, which was the seat of the Imperiali princes from 1719.
- Archaeological Park
- Arch of Sant'Angelo, gateway to the historical center
Primitivo di Manduria
Primitivo di Manduria is a heavy, blunt red wine; an effect of the warm growing conditions in Southern Italy's Apulia region.The quality of Primitivo wine has been recognized in Italy for centuries. It was once mainly used for blending by more commercially successful wineries in Northern Italy. They relied on it to give their wines depth. Because of a general lack of commercialization in Apulia, Primitivo is still largely unknown outside of Italy. Small-scale producers have a hard time reaching the international market to compete on the same level as more famous Italian wine varieties.
The Primitivo grape variety was discovered to be genetically similar to California's Zinfandel
Zinfandel
Zinfandel is a variety of red grape planted in over 10 percent of California vineyards. DNA fingerprinting revealed that it is genetically equivalent to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kaštelanski, and also the Primitivo variety traditionally grown in Puglia , where it was introduced in the 18th century...
. It has its roots in the oldest of wine traditions. The Primitivo grape is told to have originated in ancient Greece and been bought over by some of the first settlers of the Italian peninsula.
Primitivo di Manduria DOC
Denominazione di Origine Controllata
Denominazione di origine controllata is a quality assurance label for food products, especially wines and various formaggi . It is modelled after the French AOC...
is made from 100% Primitivo grapes (unlike other Primitivo wines, like Gioia del Colle Primitivo, which are blends). This wine is also characterized by an unusually high alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
percentage - around 14%. Wines made from Primitivo have notes of plum and spice, like Zinfandel, but because of different growing soils and climate, the fruit character is less jammy, the structure more akin to old world wines, with rustic notes of earth and spice, as well as tamed fruit flavors