centro storico, collinare, concentrico, Castellana Grotte, Castellano Vetere (denominazione storica, 901), Castellano Novo (denominazione storica, 901), Castellana (denominazione storica, 1310)

The historic centre of Castellana Grotte is a consolidated hilltop town, its organic, concentric layout defined by natural and man-made boundaries. Exposed to the south-east, it is a tight weave of historic quarters, containing places of worship, workshops, and homes. This is a borgo that grew not from a single plan, but from centuries of accretion.

Its story begins in the Byzantine era. First mentioned in a 10th-century parchment from the Monastery of San Benedetto di Conversano, the settlement then comprised two distinct hamlets, Castellano Vetere and Castellano Novo. The name ‘Castellana’ only appears in 1310. The original village, likely clustered around the church of S. Magno near a now-dry lake, was a modest affair. After a period of abandonment, it was resettled in the late 12th century by colonists from Salento, sent by the Benedictine monks who held the feudal rights. A later, second settlement grew around a new tower in the mid-13th century, abandoning the earlier site entirely. The oldest part of today's town stands on that very hill.

Description via source. Coordinates and heritage data from the Atika atlas.