Castro
Comune
Comune di Castro
Castro
Coat of arms
Location of Castro
Castro Location of Castro in Italy Show map of Italy Castro Castro (Apulia) Show map of Apulia
Coordinates: 40°1′N 18°24′E / 40.017°N 18.400°E / 40.017; 18.400
Country	Italy
Region	Apulia
Province	Lecce (LE)
Frazioni	Castro Marina
Government
• Mayor	Luigi Fersini
Area [1]
• Total	4.56 km2 (1.76 sq mi)
Elevation	100 m (300 ft)
Population  (30 June 2017)[2]
• Total	2,395
• Density	530/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Demonym	Castrensi or Castrioti
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	73030
Dialing code	0836
Patron saint	Maria SS. Annunziata (principal) and Santa Dorotea
Saint day	25 April and 6 February
Website	Official website

Castro (Salentino: Casciu) is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-eastern Italy.

History

Castro derives its name from Castrum Minervae (Latin for "Athena's castle"), which was an ancient town of the Sallentini, about 15 kilometres (9 mi) south of Hydruntum. Its ancient temple of Minerva was said to have been founded by Idomeneus, who formed the tribe of the Sallentini from a mixture of Cretans, Illyrians and Italian Locrians (Central Greek tribe).^[3]

It is also said to have been the place where Aeneas first landed in Italy, the port of which he named Portus Veneris ("Port of Venus"). The temple had lost some of its importance in Strabo's day.^[3]