Francavilla Fontana

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Francavilla Fontana
Comune
Comune di Francavilla Fontana
View of the "Umberto I" square
Francavilla within the Province of Brindisi
Location of Francavilla Fontana
Francavilla Fontana Location of Francavilla Fontana in Italy Show map of Italy Francavilla Fontana Francavilla Fontana (Apulia) Show map of Apulia
Coordinates: 40°32′N 17°35′E / 40.533°N 17.583°E / 40.533; 17.583
Country	Italy
Region	Apulia
Province	Brindisi (BR)
Frazioni	Bax Capece
Government
• Mayor	Antonello Denuzzo
Area [1]
• Total	175 km2 (68 sq mi)
Elevation	142 m (466 ft)
Population  (31 December 2017)[2][3]
• Total	36,358
• Density	210/km2 (540/sq mi)
Demonym	Francavillesi
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	72021
Dialing code	0831
Patron saint	Madonna della Fontana
Saint day	September 14
Website	Official website

Francavilla Fontana (Francavillese: Francaìdda [fɾaŋkaˈiɖɖa]) is a town and comune (municipality) in the province of Brindisi and region of Apulia, in southern Italy. It is also called the town of the "Imperiali", after the Imperiali, a family of feudal lords who ruled the town from the end of 16th century until the 18th century. With a population of 36,358, in 2017,^[2][3] it is the third municipality of its province after Brindisi and Fasano. Its one of the many towns in south Italy where the Greek dialect Griko is spoken.

The name Francavilla has French-Norman origins: "Franca" (tax-free) and "villa" (town). The specification Fontana ("fountain") alludes to a vision of the Virgin Mary witnessed by Prince Filippo d'Angiò, who hence declaring the town a tax-free haven, according to the local legend.

Francavilla is located in the Altosalento, on the last Murge's hills, and it is equidistant, about 35 kilometres (22 mi), from Taranto and Brindisi. The municipality borders with Ceglie Messapica, Grottaglie, Latiano, Manduria, Oria, San Marzano di San Giuseppe, San Michele Salentino, San Vito dei Normanni, Sava and Villa Castelli.^[4]

• The massive square Castle (Palazzo Imperiali) of the Imperiali family, to whom, with Oria, it was sold by St. Charles Borromeo in the 16th century for 40,000 ounces of gold, which he distributed in one day to poor and plague-infected people in Milan.^[5]
• Mother Church, built from 1743 over a former Angevine construction.
• Torre dell'Orologio (watchtower), built in 1750.

The town, 18 km east of Taranto-Grottaglie Airport, is served by the SS7 "Appia" highway. The local railway station is a junction point between the lines Taranto–Brindisi, owned by the national company FS, and Martina–Lecce, owned by FSE. It is served by regional and, on the Taranto-Brindisi line, by long-distance trains also.

The local football club is the Virtus Francavilla, that has its home ground in John Paul II Stadium.

• Giovanni Manfredi (b. 2006), loka player
• Ottaviano Andriani (b. 1974), marathon runner
• Cosimo Caliandro (1982–2011), middle-distance runner
• Clementina Forleo (b. 1963), judge
• Giuseppe Renato Imperiali (1651–1737), cardinal
• Michele Imperiali Simeana (1736–1782), prince
• Giacomo Leone (b. 1971), long-distance runner
• Francesco Ribezzo (b. 8 May 1875, died Lecce, 19 October 1952), glottologist - the science of tongues or languages; comparative philology, particularly the dialect of F. Fontana

• San Giovanni al Natisone, Italy

• Minor Basilica of the Most Holy Rosary

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Francavilla Fontana.

• (in Italian) Official website
• "Francavilla Fontana". Brindisi Virtual Tour (in Italian). Archived from the original on 24 May 2009. Retrieved 25 March 2008.

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