11 Gen A natural reserve nearby the town
The area of Pianelle, Natural Reserve of Puglia, marks the boundary among the territories of the municipalities of Martina Franca, Crispiano and Massafra. It extends in the North West, South East with a height varying from 343 to 486 m above sea level.
It overlooks the Ionian sea and witnesses what still remains of the old collective State Property, granted to the “Martinesi” (people from Martina) by the Prince Filippo d’Angiò with the right to pick up wood, to feed the animals in those territories without paying any taxes.
The highest hills are Monte Pianelle (478 m), Corno della Strega (448 m), Belvedere di Vuolo (429) e Piazza dei Lupi (414 m), while the highest point of the whole area is Masseria Mongelli. Monte Pianelle is the site of the Air Force Radar Station.