Hour History

The lake of Salpi, in the province of Foggia, on the south coast of the Gargano sea, of a rectangular shape and divided by the Adriatic by a narrow touge, with one small channel on each side connecting it to the sea. its surface once measures about 37 sq km, but because of last century’s reclamations, it has given place to the present salt-works of Margherita di Savoia and, partly, to agricultural cultivations. On the western shore, that is the one opposit to the sea, was once surrounded by forest rich in game, right here Frederick the second of Swabia, loved to train his hunting hawhs. The name “SALPI” originates from “SALAPIA”, an ancient city in Apulia, which spreads along the southern shore of the lake.

This city was founded, according to legend, by Diomedes. The city if Salapia, initially risen on the strip of land between the lake and the sea, was later abandoned because of malaria and rebuilt, probably during the 2nd century BC, near the western corner of the lake. Salapia is also remembered in relation to the second Punic war, during which it was occupied for sic whole years by the Carthaginians