You will visit the area of Puglia(Apulia) that was inhabited in prehistoric times, as shown by findings in the grottoes of Santacroce and the presence of megalithic dolmens.
The name may derive from the Latin Vigiliae, that was used for the military outpost surrounded by walls and defended by seven towers on Via Traiana, or alternatively from the non-classical Latin Vescellae meaning forested area. The oak tree that for time immemorial has been the symbol of the town may be connected to pre-Roman times, when populations coming from the Arcadia region, who worshiped Jupiter Dodoneus, usually represented by an oak tree, settled in the area.
In the 11th century AD Norman count Peter I fortified the town and built a tall sighting tower, the Torre Maestra, to defend from Saracens raids the population of the 9 villages of Lombard stock in the countryside (Cirignano, Giano, Pacciano, Sagina, San Nicola, Salandro, Santo Stefano, Sant’Andrea, Zappino).

Duration

7 hours

What’s included

– Guiding Services
– Private Transportation
– Entrance Fees