Castellana Grotte
Italian comune
Castellana Grotte is a town in the province of Bari (BA) in the Italian region of Apulia (Puglia), Italy.
Initially, the town was named "Castellana". The settlement itself was born in the 10th century, after a colonization by the monastic order of San Benedetto di Conversano. However, its official foundation as a feud dates back to December 1171. The name "Castellana Grotte" was not given until 1950 after the discovery in 1938 of the iconic cave system by geologists Franco Anelli and Vito Matarrese; this event granted the town a substantial rise in tourism popularity and became one of the most famous destinations in Puglia. One should not be mistaken into thinking caves are the only attraction this town has to offer: throughout the year there are many festivals and events, each with its own origin radicated in the history of Castellana Grotte, such as "Festa delle Fanòve" on January 11 and various musical and cultural festivals scattered through June to September. Like many other typical towns and villages in Puglia, craftmanship and food culture are also not to be overlooked.