Francavilla

Francavilla stands inland from Brindisi on the old route of the Via Appia, amid the fields of southern Apulia. Its castle dominates the town, a reminder of the princes who held the surrounding estates. Giovanni Antonio Orsini del Balzo acquired Francavilla in 1455, strengthened its defences and began the castle to house his soldiers. In the early eighteenth century the Imperiali family transformed the fortress into a noble residence, giving the old stronghold a new role in the life of the town.