Zollino: Griko, Menhirs and Historical Traces

Zollino combines Hellenic traditions, a still-living linguistic legacy and stone witnesses from several eras. Griko, an ancient Hellenophone dialect, is still spoken in Zollino; at the same time, the town continues to preserve Hellenic traditions. This makes it a destination whose distinctive features can be seen in its church, menhirs, chapels, landscape and a local product.

Church and Menhirs as Historical Witnesses

The parish church of Santi Pietro e Paolo dates from the 17th century. Its exterior walls feature two sundials and a Latin inscription. These details give the church a precise historical profile and are particularly interesting if, when visiting the town, you pay attention to inscriptions, signs of time and visible architectural history.

A different period is represented by the Sant’Anna menhir. It is just over three metres high and set into a rock at Largo Lumardu. Its origins probably date back to the Neolithic period. The Stazione menhir is 4.27 metres high and stands a few metres from the railway station at a crossroads of roads leading towards Sternatia, Corigliano d’Otranto and Soleto.

A small indentation on one side of the Stazione menhir indicates that a lantern for travellers probably once stood there. It is precisely the combination of exact form, inherited significance and present-day location that makes the two menhirs meaningful stone witnesses in Zollino.

Chapels, Dolmens and the Shaped Landscape

In the area around Zollino stands the surviving chapel of the former hamlet of Apigliano, which was rebuilt in 1582. It bears traces of frescoes; in Griko, this place of worship is called “A Laurenti” (San Lorenzo). The Cranzari Dolmen also remains in the surrounding area as a megalithic structure in the landscape. Together, these sites offer a glimpse into sacred, prehistoric and rural history.

The Pozzelle di Pirro show how closely rural everyday life and the landscape shaped by people are connected. They are sophisticated systems for collecting and filtering rainwater, while also being cultural assets linked to the rural world. They illustrate the adaptability of the local population and the transformation of the landscape through human use.

Griko and Local Speciality

The pisello nano is also part of Zollino’s distinctive profile. It is a typical local product of the town. The town also features a monument made of Lecce stone dedicated to the pisello nano. For travellers interested in regional products, this shows how an agricultural product is connected with a town’s visible culture of remembrance.

Arrival and Cultural Event

The railway station deserves particular attention when planning your journey and accommodation: Zollino railway station is a junction and interchange station of the Ferrovie Sud Est, serving connections from Lecce towards Gallipoli and Leuca. If you include rail connections in your trip, you can take these directions into account as a specific part of your choice of destination.

The Festa “De lu Focu” is a winter or solstice festival held in Zollino on 28 December. If you would like to plan your trip around this cultural event, this fixed date becomes the focus of your planning. For other interests, the church, the menhirs, the chapel of Apigliano, the Cranzari Dolmen, the Pozzelle di Pirro and the local product tradition take centre stage.

More Destinations

For further travel planning, you can also include Depressa, Merine, Campi Salentina, Punta Prosciutto, Soleto, Ortelle, Squinzano and Lido Marini in your plans.

For the higher-level travel overview: Lecce.