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Cursi
is a very ancient village, its bronze age
"Menhir" and "Pietrefitte"
are proof of this.
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Noteworthy
historians state that the small town, of roman
origin, was a stopping place for horses to
serve the messengers/couriers who brought
news and letters to the Regions located from
Lecce southwards.
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These
carriers were called "Cursores"
from which the Latin name of the village comes
from "Cursiomnnium" subsequently
abbreviated to Cursi. The coat of arms portraying
a heraldic carrier holding a batch of letters,
confirm its historical origins.
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| The
most important religious and artistic sites
in Cursi are: |
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| The
Byzantine Crypt of "San Giorgio" and
"Santo Stefano" dating back to thirteen
or fourteen century approximately. This fine
building was discovered by chance in 1955 and
was considered by experts to be one of the most
interesting Crypts in the Province of Lecce. |
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| The
calcareous walls underpin the beautiful works
of Arts which not only evoke and embody holiness
but also humble humanity as can be seen in the
very faces of the Saints themselves |
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- The Chapel dates back
to 1400, adjacent to the parish church,
is consecrated to S. Nicola, patron saint
of the village
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- The Sanctuary, consecrated
to "Maria SS. Dell'Abbondanza",
which is not very far from the village,
was built in 1648 by the inhabitants of
Cursi. The reverence to the Virgin is linked
to a prodigious apparition which took place
in 1640, the year of a long and severe drought
and famine. A statue made of Venetian wood
of the Virgin dell'Abbondanza and some paintings
inside the Baroque Sanctuary make the building
look even more precious.
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•
The "Convento degli Agostiniani"
, with the precious altar by P. Buffelli is
dated back to the fifteenth century.
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LIGHTS
AND COLOURS
Not only who read "Le
mille e una notte" with its wonderful
fables can be suggestionized by the glitters
of lights and colours of the patronal feasts,
that pass one after the other in Salento.
The Salento is continuous manifestation of
high culture that sweeps in all the art fields…
" Venite gente e scoprirete
tutto ciò che il Vostro cuore
è spinto ad ascoltare,
dal suono della Taranta,
al canto melodico del mare,
al profumo dei nostri maestosi ulivi
al calore del nostro splendido sole
che riscalda le nostre
laboriose mani"
Poesia di Gianpaolo
Donno
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