Museo Diffuso di Borgo Terra

About

Opened in 2004, the Museum of Borgo Terra has been extended in March 2017. It hosts hundreds of finds from archaeological digs and medieval houses in Muro Leccese. Your tour begins inside the austere rooms of the castle, where you can see evidence of our ancestors, the Messapii, who here founded a walled settlement in the 8th century BC. Moving on, you will go through the evolution of the land from the Byzantine age to the medieval fortified burg and the Ottoman invasion. Going upstairs, you will walk on the marble floor of the building, converted into Palace by the Protonobilissimos during the Renaissance. You will also discover some secret passages and an invaluable treasure, hidden for 560 years. On the other side, you will experience the harsh conditions in the dungeons where there are still proofs of the prisoners. Finally, behind the Palace there is a semi-underground olive oil mill, whose walls still retain some graffiti depicting a crucial event of modern history.

At a glance

• Typical visit: about 1 hour 30 minutes