Villa Baronessa Incalzi

This typical Liberty-style structure is located along the Ostuni marina, between the towns of Villanova and Costa Merlata, and in the past belonged to the wealthy Incalzi family. Next to the villa there is a sort of "artificial swimming pool" (or what remains of it) communicating with the sea, used in the past for breeding mullet.

The noble Incalzi family of Salento origin had acquired a large portion of the territory by erecting this imposing production and residential complex.
It was a thriving and admired place so much that Benito Mussolini, on the advice of Galeazzo Ciano, a great friend of the Incalzi family, stayed there during his trip to Puglia.

The huge pool complex was dug out of the limestone and earth and reinforced with massive tufa walls and embellished with squat Doric style columns and huge carved monolithic stone vases. The tanks communicated with the sea through a gate and drew water from the Incalzi spring river. Unfortunately after more than a century the walls have partially collapsed.
The fish farm seems to have been active until the 90s. Capito or mullet were raised there. Before the Christmas period, the "Iummu" was carried out, the great fishing by emptying the tanks in compartments and easily removing the big fish.
Once the use of fish farming has ceased, today we can admire a valuable site where the beauty of nature competes for amazed gazes with this testimony of industrial archeology.