Cisternino is a town of about 11,000 inhabitants in the province of Brindisi. Until 1927, however, it was in province of Bari.
Its name comes from “Cis-Sturninum”, that means “on this side of Sturni”, an ancient center near Ostuni. Ostuni is a neighboring town that instead took the name from Sturno, Comrade hero of Diomedes.
It is located about 46 km from Brindisi and is not far from the Adriatic coast.
Fascinating is the tower of the Great Gate, on top of which there is a small statue of St. Nicholas. It is less than 17 meters high and was the main entrance of the city.
In the city center there many historic buildings: the Governor’s Palace, with baroque style, Bishop’s Palace, Amati Palace, Lagravinese Palace, De Vitofranceschi Palace and Ricci – Capece Palace next to the homonymous tower also known as the Tower of the Wind.
On Easter Monday the population goes to the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Ibernia, with typical sweet called in the local dialect “u chrruchl” to which is given a symbolic value and propitiatory.