Our History

The Emblem

Stemma Baroni Martucci

The sculpted coat of arms is found in the Gentilizia Martucci Chapel of the San Domenico Church in Altamura. The lower half with a rampant lion is green, while the upper half with six stars is light blue in color. Light blue represents justice and loyalty, while green expresses hope, a sense of honor and courtesy. The lion symbolizes strength, courage and magnanimity. At the top of the shield is a silver helmet edged with gold on which the baronial crown rests.

The Family

The Martucci family originally hails from Greece. In the first half of the fourteenth century, a noble member of the family arrived in Italy in the retinue of the Duke of Athens. He settled in the province of Bari, first in Conversano and later in Altamura, and also owned the Massanova fief in Calabria, which was kept until 1595 when Baron Scipione Martucci gave it to the Magnificent Antonello of Costanzo.

The family has had numerous ecclesiastical dignitaries and valorous soldiers. On October 15, 1797, the noble knight Domenico was admitted to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and in 1831 the Knights Dominico and Pietro were granted the Constantinian Order.

In 1806 Pietro Aurelio Martucci (the son of Domenico, an illustrious nobleman of Altamura, and Catherine Filo, daughter of the Counts of St. Susanna), who was a recipient of the Benemerito della Patria honor and an illustrious nobleman of Altamura, became the Baron of Valenzano and acquired its fiefdom. His successors are still the owners of the ancient castle in Valenzano and the winery in the heart of the Salento peninsula.