In the heart of Salento, not far from the deconsecrated church of the Madonna of Constantinople in Tricase, stands a living monument which for centuries has preserved memories and mysteries, a silent and very long-lived witness to Apulian history and traditions. We are not talking about a work that is the fruit of human ingenuity, but of nature: the protagonist of this story is in fact a tree, more precisely an oak, imposing and solemn, known by the name of Vallonea oak.
About twenty meters high and with a foliage that extends for over seven hundred square meters, it has about eight centuries of history behind it and, despite time and bad weather, the deep roots remain firmly anchored to the ground, the branches continue to welcome the life and the secrets of past centuries are safer than ever.
The Legend of the 100 Knights
The tree is part of a group of centuries-old oaks that extends from the Serra del Mito to the Marina di Serra, where the mild microclimate and fertile soil have contributed to the growth of these green giants. What makes the Vallonea oak special, in addition to the age, size and particularity of the fruits (the acorns of the Vallonea oak are giant and contributed to the victory of the Italian Tree of the Year 2019 competition) is the link with an ancient legend from the medieval era which sees Frederick II of Swabia, returning from the Crusades, find shelter from the rain under his thick hair. The king/emperor was not alone, and with him there were a hundred knights, who, crowded under the branches of the tree, managed to escape a sudden and violent storm. The episode gave the oak an aura of magic, transforming it into a symbol of protection and hospitality.
In the trunk of the Vallonea oak, whose diameter is almost four and a half metres, the toil of centuries and the weight of many stories seem almost sculpted, which, for some reason, appear more tangible and real under its shadow. Each branch, gnarled and robust, tells of a remote past, in which men and nature lived in a relationship of respect and veneration, in which trees like this oak were considered sacred, almost like oracles. For example, the Greeks, who arrived centuries earlier on the Salento coasts, believed that oaks had prophetic powers and were able to speak through the rustling of the leaves, interpreted by the wise men as a message from the gods. Perhaps it is this archaic bond between man and nature that has allowed the Vallonea oak to still be venerated today, so much so that it has become one of the favorite stops for those seeking to reconnect with a past that seems almost faded by time.
The oak beyond the legend
During the iconoclastic persecutions, when the Basilian monks arrived in Puglia, they discovered that the acorns of the Vallonea oak could be transformed into a particularly nutritious flour. This peculiarity allowed the creation of a subsistence system based on local resources, to the point that several areas of Salento, such as the Bosco Belvedere near Supersano, became real centers for the production of acorns and flours.
In this once rich and lush forest, which is now a park called Paduli, the Vallonea oak thrived together with other oaks of the same species, providing food not only to men, but also to pigs that were raised in the wild. In fact, acorns were also greatly appreciated by pigs, and this tradition is still reflected today in the Martina Franca farms, which host pigs fed with resources similar to those of ancient times. It is curious how some agricultural and gastronomic customs of the past have reached the present day, linked by a thin and resistant thread to these trees.
If you think about it, perhaps the Vallonea oak is much more than just a tree. It is a silent monument, a symbol of nature’s ability to resist time and offer nourishment, shelter and even wisdom. Anyone who approaches the Vallonea oak can perceive the power of the place, a sort of green sanctuary where history and nature merge in an inseparable bond.
Visiting the Vallonea oak means immersing yourself in a suspended time, a time in which legends mix with history and trees were considered witnesses of important events, a refuge for travelers and knights and a resource for the survival of communities. Perhaps this is why, faced with its majesty, we feel small, yet strangely close to an archaic and fascinating dimension, in which nature was one with the life of men. This ancient giant, with its roots planted in history, represents the very essence of a place and a people, an eternal witness that whispers, even today, the stories of distant times.
