San Vito dei Normanni (Sanvitese: Santu Vitu) is an Italian town of 19,947 inhabitants of the province of Brindisi in Apulia.

It is located 9 kilometres (6 miles) from the Adriatic coast, the port nearest beach Specchiolla, a historic marine residence of San Vito.

[5] Climate classification of San Vito: The name of the city once included the words "degli Schiavoni", meaning "of the Slavs".

[6] To escape the persecutions of the Saracens, they migrated from Dalmatia to the opposite coast of the Adriatic, settling in late 963 in the fertile regions of Apulia.

[9] The village dates back to the Middle Ages (late 10th century), presumably by a colony of Slavs (emigrated from Slavonia) escaping the persecutions of the Saracens, and decided to settle in the fertile areas of San Vito founding "Castro Sancti Viti".

[citation needed] Some scholars believe that the city was founded by the Norman Bohemond of Hauteville ( 1050 - 1111 AD), son of Robert Guiscard, who, to satisfy his love of hunting, ordered the construction of a square tower, which still exists today.

[9] The small village originally grew in the late Middle Ages when the Normans ensured security from the constant attacks of the Saracens.

In the early 1960s, the petrochemical industry in addition to engineering companies and Aeronavali of Brindisi San Vito have moved many workers from working the fields to the assembly line.

The opening of the San Vito dei Normanni Air Station into a strategic focal point during the Cold War, simultaneously created the work between the locals and received thousands of American workers.

Inside valuable paintings such as the icon of Nicopeia, depicting the Virgin Mary, announcing to Pope Pius V the victory over the Turks, and a silver statue representing St.

[12] On October 26, 1996, Pope John Paul II, during a special audience called on the Archdiocese of Brindisi-Ostuni, and solemnly crowned the icon of Our Lady Nicopeia.

Today, reconstructed, it has reopened for worship and there restored the six side stone altars of the 18th century and a tapestry from 1769 depicting the Annunciation by artist Domenico Carella.

There are many rock art sites within San Vito made by Byzantine monks that fled from eastern Europe as they were persecuted because of their faith.

[13] Such sites include: Rezza (from Retia in Latin, meaning network), is a type of shade used to protect houses' front doors mostly from direct sunlight but also from rain and wind.

A traditional expression from San Vito is "vecchia cretu la rezza", literally meaning "older woman behind the shade" but indeed referring to someone who likes to spy on others without being seen.

The original access was via a drawbridge which was from the box located on the door of the Chapel The first building was undoubtedly the tower, believed to be Norman and dating from the 12th century.

[14] The only green space of the city is the Villa Comunale, called the Pinewood due to the presence of large marine pines, and also many palm trees.

[15] San Vito was the subject of extensive emigration during the 20th century, first to the Americas, later towards northern Europe (especially Germany) and to northwestern Italy, but today the town has become a destination for immigrants from outside the European Union.

These new arrivals usually consist of pensioners, not coming to work, who buy villas in the countryside of San Vito and enjoy the pleasant temperatures all year.

This phenomenon, relatively recent in Apulia, is known as "Salentoshire", a playful neologism along the lines of "Chiantishire", which refers to the consolidated British tourism in Tuscany.

The Rural Museum implemented by local action group Altosalento, was inaugurated on July 21, 2001 and is currently managed by the Cultural Association AXAS Onlus.

The museum houses a remarkable collection of objects and tools that bear witness to everyday rural life between the 18th century and the early 1950s.

Each time a tarantata exhibiting symptoms associated with Taranto, the drummers, fiddlers, mandolin, guitarists and accordionists went in the house of taranta and stakeholders to play the music from at a frantic pace.

[8] San Vito retains a remarkable tradition of pizzica that, unlike that of Lecce, appears free as a therapeutic repertoire and musical found only in this town.

Local cuisine includes stuffed aubergines (maranciani chini), and traditional specialities made with mashed broad beans mixed with and vegetables (favi e fogghi).

Other traditional dishes include "frise", round shaped hard bread soaked in water and topped with salt, with cherry tomatoes, olive oil and oregano and "gnummarieddi" or "turcinieddi", meat skewers made with lamb's innards.

Limoncello is a liquor made from the peel of fresh lemon and enriched with water, sugar and alcohol to be enjoyed both as an apéritif and as a digestive after meals.

[8] During the year, the municipality organizes major cultural events: A variety of other cultural and educational events take place throughout the year, organised by or in conjunction with ExFadda L’officina del Sapere, a community based social enterprise at the heart of San Vito, including Coreutica a celebration of Mediterranean dance and music held in early August.

The city originally developed around the Dentice Frasso castle; the old town that still retains the old urban structure of low buildings and small streets.

Instead the agriculture industry relies on a thousand small and medium entrepreneurs engaged in intensive cultivation of fruits, vegetables, almonds and especially olives (Olea europea).