The fruition project
Santo Cotrubbo Tower Utilization and Enhancement Project: Restoration and Sustainability for Rural Historical Heritage
The Santo Cotrubbo Tower recovery and enhancement project, supported by the Apulia Region as part of PNRR initiatives, aims to preserve Sannicola’s historic rural heritage by promoting environmental and cultural awareness through the enjoyment of a property of great architectural and landscape significance. The tower, a symbol of historical, anthropological and urban stratifications, is a valuable testimony to traditional agricultural culture and the evolution of the rural landscape of Salento.
Project Goals.
The main goal is to protect and publicize the history of local rural communities by restoring the Santo Cotrubbo Tower to its central role in cultural and social life. The project aims to counter phenomena of environmental and social degradation, such as waste abandonment and landscape deterioration, by promoting sustainability and environmental conservation. The tower will become an educational center where visitors can learn about sustainable agricultural practices and understand the importance of land conservation.
Local Community Involvement and Territory Enhancement.
cultural organizations. The Cooperativa Olearia Sannicolese and the Pro Loco Lido Conchiglie-Sannicola will actively collaborate, organizing events and routes dedicated to the discovery of the area, with a focus on agricultural traditions and local food and wine culture, such as olive oil production.
The project also includes synergies with pruning schools and olive professionals to promote sustainable agricultural practices. Through these initiatives, visitors will be made aware of the importance of environmental sustainability and the quality of local products, offering an educational and authentic experience.
Usage and open days
The tower will be open to the public twice a year, in spring and early fall, with special events dedicated to rural tourism and immersive experience. Visitors can admire the surrounding olive-growing landscape, participate in hands-on workshops such as olive harvesting and simplified pruning, organized in collaboration with the Torre Santo Cotrubbo farm and other local businesses.
The open days will be enriched by a variety of activities, thanks to collaboration with local and national partners. Guided tours of the tower and oil mills, trekking and biking routes among the olive groves, yoga sessions in the shade of the olive trees, and extra virgin olive oil tasting classes will be organized. Visitors can also participate in picnics in the olive groves, experiences that will combine culture and wellness.
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
Collaborations with entities such as the Pro Loco, Cooperativa Olearia, Consorzio Turismo dell’Olio Evo and local craft associations will ensure the quality of the proposed activities. Experts in the field, such as Dr. Giorgio Pannelli and the Olive Pruning School, will offer training courses in the field, teaching traditional and innovative agronomic techniques that are fundamental to the promotion of sustainable olive growing.
Cultural and social impact
The project aims to create a lasting cultural and social impact by spreading values related to rural heritage and actively involving the local community. The proposed experiences, diversified in type and audience, are designed to appeal to a wide audience: food and wine enthusiasts, sportsmen, families and schools. The Santo Cotrubbo Tower will thus become a place of cultural meeting and exchange.
In addition, the project aims to counteract the social and environmental degradation of the area by using the enjoyment of the tower as a tool for territorial regeneration and social inclusion. Expanding the range of experiences will help generate significant cultural and social impact, creating value for both visitors and the local community.
Integration into the territory
Torre Santo Cotrubbo is located in a valuable landscape setting, with panoramic views of the coast and Salento’s greenhouses. Surrounded by cultural attractions such as St. Maurus Abbey and the Byzantine Church of St. Savior, the tower will be integrated into a system of bicycle touring routes that will allow visitors to explore and appreciate the area’s natural and historical riches.
The Santo Cotrubbo Tower restoration project is an ambitious example of how modernity can be reconciled with the enhancement of the past. Through structural interventions and cultural initiatives, the tower will once again become a living symbol of local rural history, offering visitors an authentic and immersive experience. This project will not only bring a valuable architectural asset back to life, but also contribute to the promotion of the area and its traditions, with a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach.
