Otranto - Back in Italia

Otranto was our first landfall in Italy, after a moderately challenging passage from Ithaca.  Just a couple of hours later, those ‘moderate’ conditions turned decidedly nasty as a thunderstorm hovered over the brooding Aragonese castle in true Gothic style, and several boats arriving later had a major challenge finding space and docking in the heavy rain and swell. But it passed, as all things do, and a string of fine warm days ensued.

Speaking of Gothic, has anyone read The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole? I usually try to read books about the places we visit, or books by local authors, so it made sense to download a copy of what is generally believed to be the first example of gothic horror fiction in English. It has all the elements – a haunted castle beset by a curse, a villainous/ attractive antihero, TWO fainting virgins, a hero who turns out to be the illegitimate – no wait, it’s OK, they WERE married – son of a monk, dungeons, torture, secret passages, madness, comical faithful retainers and decaying aristocrats. If you’re thinking, hey that sounds interesting, don’t bother! It is truly awful, one of the worst-written novels I’ve ever read, with great long passages of explanation for the absurd plot twists and pious moral reflections that are clearly there to try to balance the lurid fantasies of the author. No wonder Jane Austen parodied the fad for this sort of stuff in Northanger Abbey. Horace Walpole did the Grand Tour, so I thought that the descriptions of the castle might at least be interesting, but the setting could have been anywhere (with a dungeon and a secret passage to the monastery).

The real castle is remarkable. It has existed in some form since the ancient Greek empire, and has been modified or rebuilt by the Romans, Byzantines, Normans and the Aragonese.  It has suffered earthquake damage, sacking by the Ottomans and Napoleon and use as a prison. Since 1986, a restoration and excavation programme has revealed its outer walls, system of moats and bridges. There is a whole town within the walls, and pleasingly, people live here above the shops and restaurants that line its winding cobbled streets. We really enjoyed seeing local people hanging out washing or watering gardens on their balconies, or the occasional glimpse inside a tiny room furnished in dark wood and hand-made lace.

Within the walls is another treasure of Otranto, its Byzantine cathedral. The floor here is a single massive mosaic created by the presbyter of the church at the time, a man called Pantaleone. It depicts a huge ‘tree of life’ bearing the whole known history of humanity and the creation. The tree rests on the backs of two elephants (obviously not based on live observation) and included are Biblical stories, astrological signs, mythological creatures, King Arthur, Alexander the Great, Dante’s Inferno and all manner of angels and demons. Originally frescoes covered all the walls, but they were destroyed by the invading Ottoman Turks who left only the images of the Madonna intact.

Behind the altar is a grim reminder of the real tragedy of Otranto: three glass cases hold the skulls and bones of 800 men and boys, the Martyrs of Otranto. In 1480, the people of the town held off the invading Turks for almost two weeks. When they were finally defeated, the survivors were rounded up and ordered to convert to Islam or die. 800 men suffered martyrdom by beheading on Minerva Hill, outside the castle.  A church commemorates the site, which retains an atmosphere of melancholy even now, under its brooding trees and overgrown walls. The town never recovered, but last year the Pope canonised all the Martyrs of Otranto.  As you walk the streets, you can imagine the few women, children and elderly people left behind after the massacre, grieving in the silence. It’s a relief when the evening passagiata brings tourists and locals out to enjoy a stroll, a drink and a conversation, like an affirmation of life.

On a lighter note, it’s great to be back amongst Italian food too, and good wine. And new – or old favourite – beers. Some good finds have included Dreher lemon beer, a 2% brew that is a really refreshing hot-weather drink, like a less sweet lemonade with a very slight bitter edge. Arancini for quick take-aways, lovely pastas and the local snack specialty, biscuits called taralli that are good in both their sweet and savoury forms.

We’ve been busy clearing out the second cabin aka the storeroom, ready to welcome Chris aboard. She is finishing up a month-long ‘eating tour’ of Italy and we’re looking forward to welcoming her and hearing about her adventures.