The sites selected as a case study for the summer school are both located in the National Marine Park of Porto Cesareo and are: Torre Chianca (also known as Torre di Santo Stefano) and the submerged Roman columns in sea area facing Torre Chianca (maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/88d8D357AoStUozp7).
Torre Chianca or Tower of Santo Stefano, today a seaside hamlet along the Porto Cesareo coast, not only stands as a historical symbol represented by the tower but also boasts a beautiful beach. Located midway between Porto Cesareo and Torre Lapillo, along the Ionian Sea coast, the tower was erected as part of defenses against Saracen invasions and was built between 1527 and 1598. The tower has a square plan, a base supporting the building of 15.60 meters, and a height of 18 meters, designed to communicate with both Torre Cesarea and Torre di San Tommaso. Inside, there are two floors, each with a height of 8 meters, separated by a cornice and a double-corniced crown. The exterior of the tower lacks stairs for access. Additionally, during the Second World War, it was used as a military base by Italian soldiers. After the armistice, the tower became a target for German pilots based in Leverano, who dropped cement bombs, leaving visible dents that still remain today. Today, the fortification has been converted into the Marine Turtle First Aid Center, playing an important role in the conservation of the region’s marine fauna.
The five monolithic columns from the Roman era are located in the surrounding area of the tower. They are part of a wreck of a Roman navis lapidaria, with a cargo of five monumental cipollino marble columns and 1 block from the quarries of Karystos in Evia, Greece, 8.5-8.8 metres long, with a total weight of 78 tons, lies 4.5 meters deep, located in the AMP of Porto Cesareo (Italy). The ship ran aground due to its draft (3 metres) being greater than the depth at the site, considering that sea level was then approximatively 3 m lower than today.
Location of the Summer school (Porto Cesareo – 30 Km from Lecce – Puglia – Italy), underwater Roman columns remains, an overview of the coastal environment, and Torre Chianca.