The Centoporte Abbey, from which the resort takes its name, is intimately linked to the history of the Hydruntine monastery of San Nicola de Casulis, an important centre of Italo-Greek culture, known for its important library, one of the richest in Europe.
Dedicated to SS. Martyrs Cosmas and Damian, the abbey was called “Delle Centoporte” due to the large number of windows the building boasted.
The abbey was never fully completed and was reused as the nucleus of a subsequent monastic complex from the 7th century onwards.