| Mottola | |
| Official Name: | Comune di Mottola |
| Nickname: | Spia dello Ionio |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Coordinates: | 40.6333°N 19°W |
| Region: | Apulia |
| Province: | Taranto |
| Established Date: | 1300 BC[1] |
| Mayor: | Giovanni Piero Barulli |
| Area Total Km2: | 213.96 |
| Population Total: | 15842 |
| Population As Of: | 31 December 2017 |
| Population Demonym: | Mottolesi |
| Elevation M: | 387 |
| Saint: | San Tommaso Becket |
| Postal Code: | 74017 |
| Area Code: | 099 |
Mottola (Neapolitan: label=[[Tarantino dialect|Mottolese]]|Mòtele, in Neapolitan pronounced as /ˈmɔːtələ/) is a town and comune in the province of Taranto and region of Apulia in southeast Italy.
It stands on a hill 387m (1,270feet) above mean sea level[2] in the sub-region of Murgia. It is also called "The Ionian Spy" for its strategic geographical position. From various points of the town all of the Gulf of Taranto can be seen.The economy is based mostly on agriculture and food production (olives, wine, citrus fruits, vegetables). Tourism and the manufacture of wooden fixtures are also being developed.[3]
Mottola's hill was inhabited since prehistory, as testified by several findings from that age.[4]
In 1023, a castellum was built here by Byzantine catapan Basil Boioannes. During the subsequent Norman domination, the town became a diocese until 1818, when it lost the title for Castellaneta.
In 1653 the fief was sold to Francesco Caracciolo, Duke of Martina Franca. After the Italian unification, Mottola was a center of Brigandage.
Mottola enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate, with the greatest amounts of precipitation mainly occurring from mid-October to mid-April; any precipitation is sparse during summer and it generally takes the form of showers and/or thunderstorms. The average temperature varies from a low of 5C in January to a high of 28C in July and August. The wettest months are December and March averaging between 15cmand20cmcm (06inchesand10inchescm). Fog is highly usual in the town centre but it is less frequent in the outskirts, specially in the south part. Spring and fall (autumn) are considered ideal seasons for sightseeing and various outdoor activities. Summers can be particularly hot.
Mottola country is rich of karsts called "gravine", usually situated in the south side of the town. The most important are Forcella, San Biagio, di Capo Gavito and Petruscio. The last one is certainly the most predominant.
There are numerous religious events during the Holy Week in Mottola. These events are characterized by typical processions, celebrating the Passion, made by hooded faithfuls called "paranze" in the last days of the week. The processions take place through the streets of the historical centre and end in the Our Lady of Mount Carmel church, that is also the organizer church.