Brindisi is a good place to spend time and toast with loved ones and friends over a nice drink. You might think that's where the name comes from, since 'fare un brindisi' means to make a toast in Italian. But that is not where the name of the city comes from, nor from the epic song piece 'Brindisi' from Puccini's opera La Traviata, that clearly has something to do with drinking and toasting. No, it's not like this. But where should we look then ...
Antlers on the head of a deer
Brindisi bay and natural port from above
Emblem Brindisi city
Brundisium
Brindisi's name comes through the Latin 'Brundisium' through the Greek 'Brentesion' and Messapi tribes 'Brunde or Brunda' meaning 'head of deer'. And it related with Albanian Brini zi ( black horn ), brirë, brinë (horn; antler). But how did the Romans and earlier peoples decide to name the city like this? Were there a lot of forests and deer in the south of Puglia? That wasn't the reason either...
All thanks to the shape of the beautiful natural port!
The city's name refers to the shape of the port which recalls the shape of the head of a deer, reminiscent of the antlers of a stag. That becomes obvious when you see an aerial photo of the city.
You also find it in the city's emblem
The emblem of the city of Brindisi relates to the head of a deer and contains certain unique characteristics of the ancient city, some of them still visible today. The emblem also contains the so-called 'terminal pillar' of the old Roman Appian Way. In addition to the emblem, you will also find many companies and organizations in and around Brindisi that do something with the city's name etymology. For example the well-known pizzeria Brunda.