Where is Gallipoli located?
Gallipoli is a commune in Italy, located in the Apulia region, in the province of Lecce. The town is washed by the Ionian Sea and lies on the western coast of the Salento Peninsula. The coast of the Taranto Gulf provides Gallipoli with a strategic location due to access to sea and land trade routes.
The population of Gallipoli is about 21,000 people. The town covers an area of 40 km² with an average population density of 529 people per km². Compared to other resort towns, this is quite a substantial number.
The national currency is the euro (EUR).
History of the city of Gallipoli
This city holds traces of various peoples and cultures. Founded by the Greeks, it has at different times been under the rule of Byzantines, Normans, Angevins, Venetians, and Spaniards. Gallipoli was a coveted prize not only due to its strategic location: fertile lands, access to the sea, and a pleasant Mediterranean climate made it a desirable target for conquerors.
Today, the city’s coat of arms features a rooster with a crown, which once adorned the shield of the Greek hero Idomeneus. According to legend, Gallipoli was founded by this mythological figure.
Gallipoli’s turbulent history offers insight into the medieval era. Initially belonging to the Greeks, it later became a Roman colony, then part of the Byzantine Empire, where the city flourished. In the 11th century, Gallipoli came under Norman rule, and from 1268, it belonged to Charles I of Anjou. In the 18th century, it joined the Kingdom of Naples, and King Ferdinand I of Bourbon issued a decree to build a port for exporting olive oil.
Gallipoli’s wanderings ended in 1860 when the city officially became part of unified Italy.
