Castro, Apulia

Castro
Griko: Kàstro
Comune
Comune di Castro
Castro
Castro
Coat of arms of Castro
Coat of arms
Location of Castro
Map
Castro is located in Italy
Castro
Castro
Location of Castro in Italy
Castro is located in Apulia
Castro
Castro
Castro (Apulia)
Coordinates: 40°1′N 18°24′E / 40.017°N 18.400°E / 40.017; 18.400
CountryItaly
RegionApulia
ProvinceLecce (LE)
FrazioniCastro Marina
Government
 • MayorLuigi Fersini
Area
[1]
 • Total
4.56 km2 (1.76 sq mi)
Elevation
100 m (300 ft)
Population
 (30 June 2017)[2]
 • Total
2,395
 • Density530/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
DemonymCastrensi or Castrioti
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
73030
Dialing code0836
Patron saintMaria SS. Annunziata (principal) and Santa Dorotea
Saint day25 April and 6 February
WebsiteOfficial website
Castro Marina.

Castro (Salentino: Casciu) is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-eastern Italy.

History

Castro derives its name from Castrum Minervae (Latin for "Athena's castle"), which was an ancient town of the Sallentini, about 15 kilometres (9 mi) south of Hydruntum. Its ancient temple of Minerva was said to have been founded by Idomeneus, who formed the tribe of the Sallentini from a mixture of Cretans, Illyrians and Italian Locrians (Central Greek tribe).[3]

It is also said to have been the place where Aeneas first landed in Italy, the port of which he named Portus Veneris ("Port of Venus"). The temple had lost some of its importance in Strabo's day.[3]

Castro has been since 1969 a Titular see of the Roman Catholic Church; its Latin name is Castrensis in Apulia.[4] Richard Sklba (1935–2024), auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, was the most recent incumbent.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. ^ Population data from Istat
  3. ^ a b Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Castrum Minervae" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 5 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 485.
  4. ^ "diocese/d2c78". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney.
  5. ^ "Bishop Richard John Sklba". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
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