The origin of this fortified building, in its central core, dates back to the first half of XVI century, as it appears from the “Catasto Onciario” of Salice Salentino of 1749. The name “Monaci” comes from the settlement of a group of Basilian monks in the estate of Salice and Guagnano. It was a place of cult and meditation, as well as a refuge for people in need of help. During its history, the Castle suffered a number of adjustments, the most representative of which is perhaps the front, rebuilt in the second half of XIX century. It is impossible to know exactly when the monastic period of the Castle ended and the feudal one started; anyway, it reached the height of magnificence under the De Martino family and the Parry Graniger family, French aristocratics, its last landowners. Later, Castello Monaci estate was owned by the Provenzano family of Ugento, whose the last descendant, married with Memmo, detains it now. Although it suffered a lot of stelings, the latest during the second world war in the castle there are still works of art of great artistic and historical interest.