Otranto

Otranto (the ancient Hydruntum), a town in the extreme south-east of Italy, 29 miles by rail SE. of Lecce, and on the Strait of Otranto, 45 miles from the coast of Albania on the opposite side. During the later period of the Roman empire, and all through the middle ages, it was the chief port of Italy on the Adriatic, whence passengers took ship for Greece—having in this respect supplanted the famous Brundusium of earlier times; but its port is now in decay. In 1480 it was taken by the Turks. At the present day its castle, which gives the title of Horace Walpole's well-known story, is in the same condition as its port. The town is the seat of an archbishop, and has a cathedral, restored after the siege by the Turks, with fine mosaics and an ancient crypt. Pop. 1893. In the province of Lecce (formerly called Terra di Otranto) many Albanians have long been settled. For the Duke of Otranto, see FOUCHÉ.