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Masseria La Battaglia (“Masseria” means “a big farm”) dates back to the XVII century; it looks like a farm enclosed within defensive walls with sentry boxes. While it was originally used for sheep herding and agriculture, today it prominently features a garden full of arum lilies (Zantedeschia aethiopica) and myrtles (Vinca minor); it also has an orange grove, which has been recently decorated with ceramics of the ‘700 and spreads its fragrance throughout the whole area.

The chapel is part of the main structure and was the very first built in Lama (near Taranto).
A small plaque on the wall of the chapel dated 1795 says: “Seek no asylum here”.
Nonetheless, the current owners of Masseria Battaglia allow visitors rare and occasional access to their estate.

The name “Battaglia” (“Battle”) is historically evocative even if there are no official records, but it has most certainly let imagination run wild with fictionary tales and legends; for instance, it is believed that a Saracen prince was killed in this area and then buried inside the farm, along with all his precious possessions (namely, gold and silver).

The local popular tradition relates the farm to the Second Punic War (at the end of the III century B.C.), and the defeat of Hannibal during a fierce battle near Lama.

Another story – this time a bit more likely – is that of a famous battle between the Christians and the Turks that took place here on 19 September 1594.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)