Lecce, January 23rd,  2007

It has been, once again, demonstrated that the logic of the so-called "net of relationships", finalized to the overcoming of the local dimension and therefore to planning the development of the territory, is the best practice a municipality, that has always longed for the widening of its own borders and the overcoming of its own territorial barriers, can pursue. The project CastLe is one of the most tangible examples of this fruitful perspective. Through the useful expedient of the computer technology, employed, in this case, to support the cultural heritage valorisation and the economic development incentive. The action to diversify the use of four splendid architectural testimonies of this territory and to insert them in a telematic system, strengthening their fruition at the best, has the aim of concretely valorising one of the most significant part of the Lecce province’s historical and cultural Heritage. The castles of Lecce, Vaste, Castro and Copertino are, in fact, some of the most precious artistic and architectonic jewels of Salento and deserve a place of honour among ancient architectural works and monuments, environmental and landscape beauties, rites, customs and traditions, craftsmanship and gastronomy, that characterize such territory. From another point of view, it is easy to recognize in this project both a segment of that strategy whose aim is to emphasize the concept of Lecce as "city of art" and it is , at the same time, a mosaic-tile of that tourist-cultural district of which Lecce wants to be the leader. It is, finally, admirable another aspect of the project CastLe: the profitable collaboration among public and private subjects and the possibility to retrieve funding, also in the perspective of the community funds 2007/2013. The constitution of this circuit of Salentine castles enhances the exploitation of many routes of great importance for the tourist development and the cultural growth of the territory. Beside the simple fruition of the site there are, in fact, a series of experimental, educational, documentary activities. that enrich the value of the project. We think that CastLe has succeeded in placing side by side the history to the modernity, setting on the road of technology this ancient and precious wealth of Salento.

Adriana Poli Bortone

Comune di Lecce – Press Office: Tel. 0832/682219 – fax 0832/309488. ufficiostampa@comune.lecce.it

CastLE - Castelli Salentini in tour

SVILUPPO SUD PROJECT
Initiative promoted by “ACRI” Italian Saving Banks and Banking Foundation Association
(Associazione delle Casse di Risparmio Italiane e delle Fondazioni di origine Bancaria)
Modena Saving Bank Foundation
www.fondazione-crmo.it

INSTITUTIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PARTNERS COORDINATION:    
Comune Di Lecce -  Lead Partner www.comune.lecce.it
Comune di Poggiardo  www.poggiardo.com
Comune di Castro  www.comune.castro.le.it
MIBAC – Ministero Beni Culturali Soprintendenza per i Beni Architettonici e per il Paesaggio e per il Patrimonio Storico Artistico ed Antropologico per le Province di Lecce, Brindisi e Taranto. www.beniculturali.it
Agenzia per il Patrimonio Culturale Euromediterraneo www.agenziaeuromed.it

Project Leader    
Nicola Elia
Comune Lecce

Procedure Responsible
Rosaria Alba Cocciolo
Comune Lecce

ICT Planning Coordinator
Antonio Esposito
Comune di Lecce

Organizational Team
Mauro Martina
Giuseppe Miccolis
Maria Palamà
Agenzia per il Patrimonio Culturale Euromediterraneo

WORK GROUPS
Content Planning and Development

Coordinator
Fernando Russo

Scientific responsible
Marisa Milella

Persons Responsible for the involved Municipalities
Elio Dongiovanni (Comune di Poggiardo)
Maria Antonella Francesca Ciriolo (Comune di Castro)
Luigi Capraro (Comune di Castro)
Giuseppe Ciriolo (Comune di Castro)


Staff of Research
Coordination Responsible 
Sarah Siciliano
Researchers
Patrizia Dal Maso
Stefania Pallara
Francesco Sergi

Translations
Emanuela Perrone

Multimedia Planning

Coordinator
Antonio Esposito

Technical persons responsible
Antonio Castelluzzo
Gianluca Rizzo

Graphics and Data Entry
SOCIETA' FONDAMENTALE a.r.l. di Renato Gorgoni
www.fondamentale.it

Technological partners
RTI   ASTACOM srl
www.astacom.it

CO.M.MEDIA. srl
www.commediasrl.it