FEUDO FRAMMASI
Feudo Frammasi is a charming and picturesque residential complex of three residences in the “Pajare” and “Liame” local styles, dating back to the late XVI century. You can spend your time, sunbathing peacefully on a chaise-longue with a sea view avoiding the chaotic summer beach life or discovering the beautiful coast by bicycle. Lying down on one of the amazing beaches of the area is anyway a fantastic experience. Do not miss the typical dishes in one of the characteristic restaurants of the area!
OUR HISTORY
Feudo Frammasi was a small rural village. It has been recently restored with the dry wall technic in the respect of the ancient building traditions of the area, giving a particular value to the surrounding nature and to the vestiges of the ancient peasant activities. The Feudo Frammasi residences offer a comfortable alternative for a holiday in search of wellness and relaxation.
The Feudo was a micro rural system with all the farm implements and peasant’s crafts, that today are exposed inside the residences themselves. The animal shelter with tower and peasant’s house date back to XVI and XVII century, whilst the courtyard reserved for the poultry was built later on. At the east border of the feudo there is a karstic canyon that, till the apocalyptic flooding of October 1957, was crossed by a stone bridge that connected the area with Morciano di Leuca. The canyon is still rich with natural vegetation and caves where foxes still can find an hideout. Not far away a dry stone building adjoins a cave was found, where it is said Fra Tommaso (a monk) used to prayed. The name of the feudo derives right from his name.
PAJARE AND LIAME
Pajare are small typical rural buildings of Salento built using the dry wall technic. Over one hundred years ago they were used by peasants as a place to rest after the hard work on the land, or as summer houses to keep the cattle and the cultivation of tobacco. Their origin date back to 1000 A.D..,while some historians date them to a time between 2000 A.D. and the end of the Bronze Age. It’s often used the term “trullo” to define a “pajara”, but the two structures are essentially different. A Trullo has a cone shape roof and can be quite luxurious and large in size, whereas a Pajara is a truncated cone form and is generally small without many frills. From an architectural point of view they are stunning as they have a very particular roof design that is held up by the force of the gravity derived from the stone walls. A stone slab called a “chianca” was originally placed on the truncated cone, today it has been replaced by a modern window.
Liame were rural shelters with a quadrangular or rectangular shape, again with dry stone walls and barrel vaults made of blocks of tufaceaous stone.
HISTORICAL EVIDENCE
Some historians have placed in discussion the use of the pajara and liame, that these buildings were also used at some time as guard houses. Further evidence that the buildings were used for defense is derived from the similarity between the Feudo tower and the two towers of Torrevado and Torrepal, adjacent to the sea, and that the Feudo tower is in the line of sight of De Lu Porcino, Murgia Salentina and Salve Castle. It is believed that with the use of fires and flags the buildings would have been an early warning system to communicate the arrival of pirates and bandits in the area. Evidence has been documented in the notarial records office of assaults on the land. In some local history books it is said that the property of “Feu Frammasi” which was built by the prince of Gallone of Tricase, was promoted by King Philip V of Napoli in 1702 from Feudo to Signoria.
Within the property there is a beehive made from stone is further evidence of ancient Salentine activity. Today at Christmas time the local people still make “purceddrhuzzi” and “carteddrhate” from flour and honey, immersed in wine or liquor and then fried.
THE NATURE
Still today the ancient jasmine blooms shyly along the wall of the liama and wild orchids bloom spontaneously in the olive plantation from the months of April to June. Aromatic herbs such as rosemary, thyme, lavender and various sage varieties can also be found along with cactus, capers, prickly pears and other fruit trees. In October the Feudo prepares for the olive harvest and still today produces oil for family use. The olives are of the Leccino variety and have a very particular fruit which is fragrant and spicy. Once the olive oil was treated in the oil press called “ipogeo of Salve”. This “trappeto” called also “frantoio ipogeo” is a testimonial of the XVI century local agricultural economy, track of a hard and difficult civilization, that involved humans and animals at the same time. The frantoio ipogeo “le Trappite” of Salve is now an archeological site that you can visit.
Small scattered vineyards can still be seen all over the Mediterranean area evidence of what once was a well-organized local wine producing area. The temperatures and sun encouraged the cultivation of plants of myrtle, a plant with a rare, ancient and fascinating story of symbolism and legend.