Maruggio, Italian comune
Maruggio is a small commune in the Province of Taranto in southern Italy, located near the Ionian Sea coast. The old town center features narrow streets and stone buildings shaped by the Knights of Malta, while the Palace of the Commanders from 1368 overlooks the main square.
Maruggio was founded around 870 and later shaped by the Templar knights and then the Knights of Malta, who protected the settlement from pirates and fostered its growth. The Church of the Virgin Mary was built in the 1400s on the remains of a Byzantine church and has housed the relics of Saint Costanzo since 1733.
Maruggio is a town where fishing and farming traditions remain central to how people live and work today. The summer festivals, especially the Festa Patronale in July honoring Saint John the Baptist and Saint Christopher, bring locals together and reflect the community's deep connection to their heritage.
Maruggio sits just two kilometers from the coast and is reachable by car from Taranto in about an hour via the SS7ter road or by local buses. The nearby Campomarino beach offers clean bathing conditions and is especially popular during summer months.
Near Maruggio lie archaeological sites from ancient times, including a temple to the goddess Artemis from the 5th century before Christ in the Capoccia Scorcialupi area. These remains show that the region was once an important center of Greek culture in southern Italy.
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