| The City of the Imperiali and the homeland of Quintus Ennius. The Francavilla Fontana area has been inhabited since ancient times, with evidence of settlements there dating to the Neolithic, Messapian and Roman periods. The town of Francavilla Fontana is believed to correspond to the ancient Rudiae, the birthplace of the poet Quintus Ennius, the founding father of Latin literature. The town began to develop on a large scale at the beginning of the 14th century under Philip I of Anjou, Prince of Taranto. Legend has it that on 14th September 1310, during a hunting trip, the Prince discovered an image of the Virgin Mary with Child, and was so overwhelmed by such a vision that he had a Chapel built there. In the mid-fi fteenth century, one of Italy’s leading families, the Orsini Del Balzo, ordered work to begin on the marvellous castle and the other defensive structures of the town. In 1579, the fief of Francavilla Fontana became the property of the young aristocrat from Genoa, Davide Imperiali. The city walls had to be widened to contain this growth, and the castle was turned into an impressive noble residence, with the outside appearance of a military fortress concealing the luxury fit for a king within its walls. After the 1743 earthquake reduced the Chapel of the Virgin to rubble, the Imperiali family had the Mother Church built on the same spot. This was a magnifi cent construction, with the highest dome in the whole of the Salento area. The sober, perfectly balanced facade features exquisite decorations and is fl anked on either side by statues of Saint Paul and Saint Peter respectively. Inside the church are a wealth of fi ne paintings, including works by Carella (1721 – 1813), known as the “Tiepolo of Puglia” and by L. delli Guanti. In the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Fountain, the patron of the town, is the legendary icon of the same name, the Blessed Virgin with Child, in Byzantine style. |