porto Mercantile, Gallipoli

There are 2 ports in Gallipoli: an ancient port near the Greek Fountain and a merchant port in the old town. The ancient port hosts fishing boats, called paranze while the merchant port hosts large ships. In the 15th century, the city passed to the Venetians, who began work to build the harbor-which until then was only a small shelter for boats. Around 1480, the port of Gallipoli was completely renovated by the Venetians and later passed into the hands of the Aragonese.

Ferdinand I of Bourbon initiated the construction of the port, which became the most important oil platform in the Mediterranean for the lamp oil trade in the eighteenth century. At that time the port became a focal point for trade especially in lampante oil and wine. In 1850 after further improvements, it became the most important port in the Ionian area of Salento. Gallipoli and its port were of fundamental importance for the lampante oil trade. Ships laden with oil departed from its port to all over the world. Descendants of Genoese, Sardinian, Venetian and Neapolitan families of oil traders who moved to Gallipoli such as the Spinola, Vallebona, Calvi, etc. still reside in the city. Much of the oil produced or stored in tanks was sold to foreign countries, which had representation in Gallipoli with their own vice consulates. In Gallipoli there were until 1923 foreign consulates of many European nations: Austria, Denmark, France, England, Ottoman Empire, Netherlands, Portugal, Prussia, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Norway, Turkey. The port is protected, from strong sea storms, by two piers, the Molo Foraneo and the Molo Tramontana. In addition, ships arrive at the port to export cement produced by the company Colacem, the third largest cement producer and distributor in Italy and the lead company of the Financo Group, to the whole world.

A modern renovation took place in 1980 and today the Mercantile Port has an area of 80,000 square meters. In the port there are headquarters of the Port Authority, State Police nautical team, Guardia di Finanza, Customs and Monopolies Agency. Today it is an important commercial hub and during the summer period it becomes an important tourist port of call for Salento. Every day at sunset, boats return to the harbor to sell their caught fish. At the port, the Baroque Award ceremony is held every year, broadcast live by the RAI television station.