Castro, Apulia
| Castro | ||
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| Comune | ||
| Comune di Castro | ||
Castro
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 Castro
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| Coordinates: 40°1′N 18°24′E / 40.017°N 18.400°E | ||
| Country | Italy | |
| Region |
 Apulia
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| Province / Metropolitan city | Lecce (LE) | |
| Frazioni | Castro Marina | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Alfonso Capraro | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 4 km2 (2 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 100 m (300 ft) | |
| Population (September 2009) | ||
| • Total | 2,516 | |
| • Density | 630/km2 (1,600/sq mi) | |
| Demonym(s) | 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 is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-eastern Italy.
Castro derives its name from Castrum Minervae (Latin for "Minerva's castle"), which was an ancient town of the Sallentini, about 15 kilometres (9 mi) 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 (Central Greek tribe).
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.
The bishopric of Castro was founded by Pope Leo II in 682. In the 9th century, it is mentioned as a suffragan of te-he Metropolitan of Santa Severina, but in the 12th century it came under the jurisdiction of the Archbishopric of Otranto.
In the 16th century, Castro was destroyed by the Turks and the bishop moved his residence to Poggiardo in 1572.
The diocese was suppressed and its territory of the diocese was added to that of Otranto on 27 June 1818, its Metropolitan.
Castro di Puglia, no longer being a residential bishopric, has been listed by the Catholic Church as a titular see since its nominal restoration in 1968. It was initially listed simply as Castro, but since 1976 as Castro di Puglia to avoid confusion with other sees named Castro.
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Wikipedia