Historical and Cultural Places

Rocca Santa Maria is a place rich in history, culture and architectural beauties . Of great historical importance is the famous battle of Bosco Martese, which saw the partisans fight each other against the German troops during the Second World War. The formation of the partisans “Bosco Martese” is internationally known for its grueling fight against the Germans, the news of their battle was broadcast by Radio Bari and Radio London and greatly contributed to the development of the Resistance.
Of considerable historical and architectural importance are also the neighboring hamlets of Rocca Santa Maria, some of them uninhabited, but which, with their stone streets, brick houses and medieval churches, make it a magical and full of mystery. In these hamlets we find real jewels of religious architecture dating back to ancient times such as:

The Church of San Martino in Fioli, built in the 14th century.
Outside we can admire the ancient wall structure, characterized by a gabled roof and a bell gable, while inside we find an ancient Baroque altar carved in wood with golden decorations and statues depicting the Madonna del Rosario and San Martino.

Ruins of the Church of San Flaviano, whose construction probably dates back to the end of 1200 and of which the facade and the Romanesque portal in sandstone are preserved. Its characteristic position on a spur, predominant and lookout with respect to the town, re-proposes the theme of the religious artifact isolated from the building.

The Church of Sant’Egidio in Acquaratola, built in the 14th century.
Outside we can admire its beauty, characterized by the ancient wall structure while, inside, we the striking single nave with a gabled roof is striking. Some evidence indicates that in this area, in the seventeenth century, there was a large presence of Jesuit friars, who gave rise to the construction of some houses typical of this area.