Grottaglie is a town located in southern Italy in the province of Taranto (region of Apulia). Its name derives from the Italian Cryptae Aliae, meaning “many ravines”. The town is situated in the area with the landscape dominated by lime stones. They separate the Adriatic Sea from the Ionian Sea. The ravines grooved in the lime stones are surrounded by inhabited areas, which makes the town’s landscape unique. The specific natural topography of the area influenced also the initial medieval settlement. The town used to be a fortress where the local people were hiding from the Saracens’ raids. The town started developing in the 11th century when the local magnates donated it to the archbishop of Taranto. Nevertheless, the first buildings outside of the town’s walls were built in the 19th century and for that reason there is a high-density housing within the area of the old town. Charming, narrow streets and squares as well as narrow tenement houses and the castle that towers over the town create mysterious atmosphere.
