Menhir Minonna, Candelora, Lama, Scinéo, Chipuro, Masseria Piccinna and Dolmen Specchia

The area of Melpignano has been inhabited since the Bronze Age and is dotted with several dolmens and menhirs, which describe its most ancient and mysterious stories.

The fascinating pietrefitte, from the town centre to the surrounding countryside, bear the symbols of an ancient spirituality and of a more recent religion. The most interesting menhirs are in the periphery of the town. Among these, the Menhir Candelora, part of the walls of an industry which extracts and processes the Lecce stone, is characterized by a sharp point and has the shape of a pyramid.

The Menhir Minonna, which nowadays is part of the town area, takes its name from an old agricultural property and it was examined by the scientist Cosimo De Giorgi. The Menhir Lama, in the small square Asilo, is more than 4 metres high. Besides these, there are also the menhirs Scinée, Chippuro, Lama and Masseria Piccina.

The Dolmen Specchia, in contrada San Sidero, is located almost 2 km away from the town centre and has a hemispheric “cuppella” (dome),  typical of the dolmens in Salento.