Castro
—  Comune  —
Comune di Castro
Castro Marina
Castro Location of Castro in Italy
Coordinates: 40°1′N 18°24′E / 40.017°N 18.4°E / 40.017; 18.4Coordinates: 40°1′N 18°24′E / 40.017°N 18.4°E / 40.017; 18.4
Country	Italy
Region	Puglia
Province	Lecce (LE)
Frazioni	Castro Marina
Area
- Total	4 km2 (1.5 sq mi)
Elevation	100 m (328 ft)
Population (30 November 2008)[1]
- Total	2,545
- Density	636.3/km2 (1,647.9/sq mi)
- Demonym	Castrensi or Castrioti
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	73030
Dialing code	0836
Patron saint	Maria SS. Annunziata (principal) and Santa Dorotea
Saint day	25 April and 6 February
Website	Official website

Castro (Greek: Kastro, fortress) is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-eastern Italy.

[edit] History

Castro derives its name from Castrum Minervae (Latin for "Minerva's castle"), which was an ancient town of the Sallentini, 10 miles 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.

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.

Castro Marina

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Castro Marina

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

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