Aeneas’ landing

In Castro have been discovered the feet of a statue dedicated to the goddess Athena.

According to legend, there stood the Athena temple where the Aeneas’ landing /ita: Approdo di Enea/ took place after the fall of Troy.

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boats near enea's landing castro marina salento puglia

enea's approach in castro marina salento puglia

a wide view of the enea's approach in castro marina salento puglia

Aeneas’ landing into a Minerva’s temple

The town of Castro, known in the past as Castrum Minervae, is a place imbued with traditions.

During excavations, a temple of the goddess Minerva, (for the Greeks Athena, the goddess of arts, war and wisdom) was discovered in the archaeological area of Castro, in the province of Lecce.

According to Virgil in Book III of the Aeneid, Aeneas sailed from Troy in the Mediterranean until he landed in Italy and became the progenitor of the Roman people.

He described the land as “a port dominated by a high promontory with a majestic temple on top consecrated to the goddess Minerva” /ita: ”Un porto dominato da un alto promontorio con un maestoso tempio sulla sommità consacrato alla dea Minerva”.

Based on this epic and the studies conducted by the UniSalento, Aeneas’ landing /ita: Approdo di Enea/ could have happened in Castrum Minervae and not in Lazio.

the amazing sea of castro marina salento puglia

Tips:

Castro is known all over the world for the Zinzulusa Caves, spectacular karst caves discovered more than 150 years ago and included in the list of the 10 most important cavities in the world.

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