FONDAZIONE SAN DOMENICO

FONDAZIONE SAN DOMENICO
FONDAZIONE SAN DOMENICO
History & Mission
Fondazione San Domenico was established in 2001 by its founder, Marisa Lisi Melpignano,
entrepreneur and tourist agent, owner of Masseria San Domenico of Savelletri di Fasano –location
where the organization’s head-quarters are based. The intent of the project is to promote the study,
the recovery and the protection of the territories of Fasano and Monopoli with major focus on cave
settlements with which complete historical witnesses are preserved.
The preciousness of the cave settlements is given by what they symbolize: essentiality and
refinement, oriental mysticism and practical simplicity regarding materials and landscape
characterized by stone, light and colour.
This exceptional chapter of European history is not yet well-known and it is duty of Fondazione San
Domenico to expand this knowledge across the territory.
With its activities, Fondazione San Domenico concentrates particularly its attention towards the
cave-houses and cave-churches which stand out in the territories of Fasano and Monopoli because
of theirs unique contents (starting from the precious Byzantine pictorial cycles) as well as the
particular environment in which they are settled.
Thanks to the precious contribution of its scientific committee, Fondazione San Domenico
collaborates with universities, professionals in the field (anthropologists, historians, archaeologists,
art historians, geologists), Public Curator, government of Apulia region and local authorities. The
role of Fondazione San Domenico is in fact to promote meetings, conventions, scholarships and
awards as well as the elaboration of projects regarding preservation and valorisation.
The activities of Fondazione San Domenico are only a small part of the present Apulian
Renaissance. The attention regarding the value of the territory and the increasing number of
initiatives have made the Apulian region a real guide and role model for all the other regions of
Southern Italy. A role model which focuses on linking tradition and modernity, quality of life and
economic development, a persistent commitment to exploit the historical and environmental
treasures with the aim of not distorting them, avoiding turning the region into a gastronomic or
archaeological funfair. With this, Fondazione San Domenico uses the capacity to network public
and private sources with the aim of promoting the historical value of the territory.
OUR LOCATION
THE ORIGINS
The history of Cave settlements
The origins of the cave settlements in the area of Fasano, are believed to be very old: historians
today believe that the trend of digging the lame to set up shelters dates back earlier than Greek and
Roman times. It is also believed that with the roman civilization, the caves in the area were
abandoned until the Dark Ages, between the VIth and VIIth century. The cause of abandon was the
withdrawl of the population (made up of peasants and shepherds) that moved from the cost to the
inland. Of course, there were other causes that influenced the moving of the population such as the
wars between the Byzantines and the Lombards (who fought for the domain of the territory), the fall
of Egnazia (which once was a rich center ruled by the Messapi and Greeks first, and Romans after),
and finally the beginning of the invasions of the Saracens.
Settlers, Shepherds and some artisans started to live in cave-houses which were either recuperated
or built from scratch. These were the people who maintained relationships with the villages on the
cost and with the administrative power of the time: The peasants of the caves for example, payed
annual taxes (every august) to the Byzantine Officials.
Their settlements in the lame was possible thanks to the easiness of carving housing in the rocks, as
well as the fertility of the land where they were settled.
The land was characterized by red soil, which was the final result of the geological process of
pulverization of the lime-stones.
In the VIIIth Century, the monks from the Balkans arrived, as they were escaping from invaders,
and very soon they started a relationship with the people of the caves. This relationship brought to
an improvement on the level of civilization: Villages were organized in proper independent units,
supplied with infrastructure as well as public actions needed to support the local economy (such as
wells, oil and wind mills). Furthermore, the monks influenced the cave settlers with their moral and
religious values which were needed in order to establish a real civilization
The monks therefore, were not isolated hermits, but active and influential members of the
community. The recent historiography in fact, denies the idea of cave-churches as places of isolated
prayer.
In the IXth and Xth centuries, a group of Greek-Italians arrived in the territory, pushed by Saracen
invasion. Their arrival brought to a consolidation of Byzantine culture without overtaking the
already existing Latin culture and language. For this reason, the frescoes we see in the area of
Fasano reflect a real mix of Greek and Latin motifs.
Following the Benedictine penetration of the territory, which was particularly strong in 1059,
Benedictine followers re-organized the settlements increasing public facilities. Thanks to their reorganization , villages soon started to get into a more urban shape, and rural areas –like Fasano for
example –soon evolved into cities.
Up until the XIVth Century, Greek rituals were still frequent in the lame, while the cave settlements
began to disappear due to an evolution in civilization.
Cave-Churches and their Frescoes
To make it brief, the churches digged into lime-stone in the area of Fasano, more or less have a
rectangular shape, with low walls and with limited dimensions. The interiors reflect a true byzantine
style: first off, we find the naos –room used to welcome the worshippers, holding one or two aisles;
moving forward we get to the iconostasi, a wall used to separate the naos from the sacred space; on
the other side of the iconostasi, there is the bema (presbytery); in its interior, there is the protesi
used for religious ceremonies; and finally in the very end there is a semi-circular apse, always
facing the east. This is an example of how crypts are structured in the most important cave-churches
of our territory.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
List of archaeological sites preserved by Fondazione San Domenico’s Projects
LAMA D’ANTICO
LAMALUNGA
SAN FRANCESCO
SAN GIOVANNI
SAN LORENZO
SAN MARCO
SANTA VIGILIA
SAN BASILIO
SAN PROCOPIO
EVENTS CALENDAR
- 2010 National Journalistic Award
Will take place in the Church of the Apostles Saint Peter and Paul in Monopoli (BA)
5th Edition of journalistic award ceremony regarding the topic: “Cave Settlement Habitat: Cultural
and Environmental Resource.
-Cave Crypt of the Holy Spirit in Monopoli.
Will be a completed project on renovation and valorisation of the crypt carried out by the Borough
of Monopoli and Fondazione San Domenico with the contribution of Fondazione Cassa di
Risparmio di Puglia (monetary fund).
- 3rd Convention: Presentation of the acts
Presentation of the acts of the 3rd International Convention on cave settlements: “From the cave
habitat to the organization of the settlements of Apulian territory” (Dates and Locatons to be
confirmed)
*The dates of the events will be confirmed
CONTACT US
Fondazione San Domenico
Contrada Cerasina
c/o Masseria San Domenico
72010 Savelletri di Fasano (Brindisi)
Telephone number: +39 080 4827993
Fax: +39 080 4827987
E-mail: info@fondazionesandomenico.com
President: Mrs. Marisa Lisi Melpignano
Director: Mr. Giuseppe Giacovazzo
Operational Director: Mr. Ettore Dazzara
Administrative Office: Mr. Augusto Lisi
Telephone number: +39 080 4827993
Fax: +39 080 4827987
E-mail: info@fondazionesandomenico.com
Communication Consultant: Mrs. Paola Cacianti