Margherita di Savoia, which takes its name from the first Queen of Italy — after whom the former «Saline di Barletta» was renamed in 1879 — is known for its salt pans, among the most extensive in Europe, and for its thermal baths. The unique landscape of the evaporation ponds, where pink flamingos stop during their migrations, makes the town distinctive and recognisable on the Adriatic coast of Apulia.
Over the centuries the salt-pan tradition has generated significant commercial and civic networks. The salt industry — a strategic resource until the modern age — has always involved entrepreneurial, administrative and professional figures who historically represent the setting in which Freemasonry spread through southern Italy.
Although based in Trani, Loggia Bensalem 1308 extends its reference to the entire provincial territory, including Margherita di Savoia. Those wishing to receive information about institutional Freemasonry in this part of the BAT province can contact the Lodge through its official contact details.
Masonic history and local context
Margherita di Savoia: from the salt pans to the modern age
Margherita di Savoia takes its name from the first Queen of Italy, after whom the former «Saline di Barletta» was renamed in 1879. Its salt pans are among the most extensive in Europe and for centuries were a fundamental economic resource for northern Apulia. The salt industry historically generated commercial and civic networks that reached well beyond the local area.
There is no specific documentation on Masonic lodges in Margherita di Savoia. The town is part of the BAT province in which Loggia Bensalem 1308 works.
Historical elements — level of certainty
- Documented
Margherita di Savoia was renamed in 1879 in honour of Queen Margherita of Savoy; it was previously known as Saline di Barletta.
- Documented
The salt pans are documented as an economic resource of the area since antiquity and the Middle Ages.
- Plausible, to be verified
The presence of civic and associative networks linked to the salt industry in the 19th century is plausible, but not documented in relation to Freemasonry.
Sources and lines of research
Further reading: State Archives of Foggia and Bari (Archivio di Stato di Foggia e Bari); archives of the Grand Orient of Italy; history of the salt industry in nineteenth-century southern Italy.
Frequently asked questions — Margherita di Savoia
- Is Freemasonry present in Margherita di Savoia?
- Loggia Bensalem 1308, based in Trani, is the point of reference for GOI Freemasonry in the whole BAT province, including Margherita di Savoia.
- How can I contact Freemasonry in Margherita di Savoia?
- The point of reference for institutional Freemasonry in the area is Loggia Bensalem 1308, affiliated with the Grand Orient of Italy. Contact details are available in the dedicated section of the website.
- What does Loggia Bensalem do in the Margherita di Savoia area?
- The Lodge promotes study, cultural reflection and civic commitment in keeping with the regular Masonic tradition. Its territorial reference covers all the municipalities of the BAT province, from Trani and the Adriatic coast to the inland areas.
Other towns in the BAT province
Request information
To learn about the presence of Loggia Bensalem 1308 in the area of Margherita di Savoia and across the BAT province (Barletta-Andria-Trani), contact us through the official channels.
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