Considered the biggest example of Baroque Leccese, The Basilica of Santa Croce is a wordless treasure. No matter how many times you visit it, the Basilica offers a show that is always new and not just a simple glance to appreciate its architectural and artistic richness.

It is not by chance that it is the most important of the churches of the capital.

The Basilica dates to 1549 when the Celestine Fathers started the construction and work that lasted until 1699. Gabriele Riccardi, Francesco Antonio Zimbalo and Cesare Penna where the three architects who, with the help of artists and stonemasons, gave the city such an important religious monument.

Its externals

The facade of the church involved all three architects. The first was Gabriele Riccardi who designed and built the lower part of the facade, with the six columns surmounted by zoomorphic capitals and the upper frieze of classical inspiration. In 1606 Zimbalo took over and concentrated on the three portals and on the major one with its pairs of twin columns supporting the coats of arms of Philip III of Spain, Maria d'Enghien and Gualtiero VI of Brienne. On the two side portals, instead, there are the coats of arms of the Holy Cross and the Order of the Celestines.

The upper facade - joined to the lower one by a balcony - was the work of the architect Cesare Penna and boasts a spectacular rose window with concentric decorations of pomegranates, lilies, and cherubs. On the side are allocated two niches containing the statues of St. Benedict and St. Celestine and above, a fastigio depicting the Holy Cross, outlined with flowers and lilies.

Its internals

Once through the portal, the surprise does not end: the basilica with a Latin cross plant is wonderful and is divided into three naves by twelve columns with capitals where the faces of the apostles are placed between fruit and leaves, finely carved.

Along the central nave, you can only admire the magnificent dome decorated with acanthus leaves, angels and fruit, supported by columns paired with the symbols of the evangelists.

The central nave ends with a polylobed apse where there is the eighteenth-century high altar, a masterpiece of inlay on the marble of the Neapolitan school. The white of the Lecce stone that reigns supreme in every part of the building, contrasts perfectly with the brown of the coffered ceiling in gilded wood, in the center of which there is the canvas of the "Holy Trinity".

The aisles are instead characterized by a succession of chapels with altars and columns finely decorated, always in a wonderfully baroque style. On the right we find seventeen altars: the first houses the canvas of "Saint Anthony with the apparition of the Child", then that of the Nativity with the canvas "Adoration of the Shepherds" depictions of "Saint Michael the Archangel", "Saint Philip Neri", "The Trinity", "Saint Irene", "San Pier Celestino" and the different Marian icons.

An altar that deserves particular attention is that of Sant'Oronzo, protector of the city. In fact, it is considered the architect of the miracle of 1743 when an earthquake threatened to destroy the city. It consists of twelve panels, representing the background of the fresco, that illustrate the landscape. They are divided by six columns decorated with flowers in stone, so well made to look like embroideries. At the top, we find the Franciscan coat of arms and six angels that support the symbols of passion. The Celestine Fathers took care of the Basilica and managed it until 1807 when they were evicted by the law of Giuseppe Bonaparte that sanctioned the suppression of all monastic orders.

Nowadays, the convent has been acquired by the state and became the seat of public offices. During the period of suppression, the church was sacked but from 1833 it was entrusted to the Confraternity of the Holy Trinity of Pilgrims who restored it and took care of it.

In 1961, then, the Basilica of Santa Croce was enriched by a fantastic pipe organ, built by the Ruffatti brothers, and located on both sides of the presbytery. It is an electric transmission organ with two keyboards of sixty-one notes each and a concave-radial pedals of thirty-two.

Near Piazza Sant’Oronzo, embraced by a series of artistic monuments overlooking the square, we find the Cathedral of the Duomo, the symbol par excellence of the religious life of the people of Lecce.

The Cathedral, as we see it today, dates to 1659 when Bishop Pappacoda gave the task to the architect Zimbalo to rebuild the church in the Baroque style of Lecce. The architect chose not to modify the plan of the original building, dating back to 1144 and finished the work in 1670, the year in which the solemn consecration took place by the Bishop who commissioned it.

Its externals

The Duomo boasts two elevations: one on the left of the Episcope and one on the side overlooking the entrance of the homonymous Piazza.

The main one is quite simple at a decorative level and is divided into two parts decorated with niches containing the statues of St. Peter and Paul, St. Gennaro and St. Louis of Toulouse.

The fluted pilasters, as they are arranged, give the idea of the three-nave structure of the Church.

The side facade, however, is very rich in decorations, in pure baroque style. It represents, in fact, the main entrance of the church and is divided into five zones. At first glance, the imposing bronze portal (made by Manzù) immediately draws attention, along with the two side niches in which there are statues of St. Giusto and St. Fortunato. The entablature is surmounted by a small colonnade that houses, just behind, the statue of S. Oronzo.

Next to the side facade, stands the Bell Tower of the Duomo, built to replace the Norman one. It has a square shape and consists of five floors, surmounted by an octagonal dome that houses an iron mat of S. Oronzo. The bell tower is embellished with Latin epigraphs and is about 70 meters high.

From the top you can look out and admire the view up to the Adriatic coast and, on clear days, up to nearby Albania.

Due to a slight failure of the foundations, the bell tower is slightly inclined towards the left, almost imperceptible to the human eye.

Its internals

The interior of the cathedral is characterized by a Latin cross structure, with three naves divided by pillars and semi-columns. The wooden ceiling surrounds several paintings by Giuseppe da Brindisi: the Preaching of St. Oronzo, his Martyrdom, the Last Supper and the Protection from the plague.

Inside the building, you can admire a series of 12 altars full of picturesque works by artists of the time: Giuseppe da Brindisi, Oronzo Tiso, Gianserio Strafella, G. Domenico Catalano and G. Coppola.

The high altar, a blaze of marble and gilded bronze, fills the presbytery and is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, as witnessed by the precious canvas that dominates it. It was commissioned by Bishop Sersale to the Neapolitan marmorai in 1744 but today it only performs the decorative function: in fact, just in front there is another altar that is used for functions, consisting of a polychrome Neapolitan inlay dating back to the eighteenth century, taken from the altar of the nativity.

Piazza Del Duomo

Known as one of the main squares of Lecce, Piazza Duomo is dominated by a prepotent Baroque that characterizes - in addition to the Duomo and the Campanile - also the Episcopio and the Palazzo del Seminario. The urban furniture is harmonized and consistent with the style wanted at the time and seems almost to embrace anyone who enters: Piazza Duomo is in fact a closed square, that is accessible only from one side. It even had doors that used to be closed at night.

In the heart of Lecce, on the boarder between the historical center and the modern city, closer to Piazza Sant’Oronzo, stands the castle Carlo V, a defensive structure.

Originally, the castle had a quadrangular shape, with two east towers - the Torre Mozza and the Torre Magistra - and a moat that surrounded it on four sides.

Later, by the will of Charles V, it was remodeled by the architect Gian Giacomo d'Acaya. On that occasion, in addition to renovating the existing building, a mighty trapezoid-shaped bastion was erected and the moat was covered, transforming it into an underground gallery.

The Castle has a quadrangular shape and at every corner it has a bastion: that of S. Croce, that of San Giacomo, San Martino and Ss.Trinità. The military architecture is particularly accurate on the western side and is located on the road that leads to San Cataldo, marine area from which came the enemy attacks. At that time, to access the city it was necessary to cross the Royal Gate, protected by two bastions and a drawbridge to overcome the new moat, built later.

From 1870 to 1979 the castle was a barracks and military district but in 1983 it was ceded to the administration that still uses it as the seat of the Department of Culture but, above all, a venue for events and cultural activities.

Piazza Sant’Oronzo is the most important square in Lecce. Characterized by a vast combining of different styles, it is a witness of different historical eras.

In the past, the square was characterized by a different floor plan, where the convivial space was above the current Roman Amphitheatre, while the current space was occupied by the shop district, then demolished.

In the early 1900s, with the demolition of the ancient civil buildings, such as the Governor’s Palace and the Court, the construction of the Bank of Italy and, in 1939, the building for the headquarters of the Italian Commercial Bank began, on whose facade stands out the famous and characteristic clock made of bronze and enamel. Watch famous for having the largest and most characteristic dial in the world.

Another detail of this square not to be forgotten is the oval that there is in the center. It is a mosaic made by G. Nicolardi in 1930 depicting the coat of arms of the city. Tradition has it that during walks be careful not to step on it.

The Roman amphitheater

During the works on the urban plan of the city in the early 1900s, a fantastic Roman Amphitheatre was brought to light. Today, it is possible to admire only a third, while the remaining part is hidden under the square and the buildings around.

Dating back to the Augustan Age, the monument has an elliptical plan of 102 by 82 meters and could accommodate up to fourteen thousand people.

The structure is partly built in concrete, partly excavated in the Lecce stone present on site as a support of the bleachers, where the arena, the lower ambulatory and the radial tunnels have been created.

The building seems to be divided into four sectors with each the respective entrance and connecting stairs that allowed the use.

The external wall was originally marked by the succession of sixty-eight arches of which only the 24 pillars remain to this day.

Its column

One of the elements of the square not to go unnoticed is the "Column of Sant'Oronzo" that, with its 29 meters high, stands next to the Roman Amphitheater.

The column, on top, houses the status of the patron saint of the city of Lecce: Sant'Oronzo.

Its construction dates to 1666 and is the symbol of the gratitude of the Leccesi, convinced that the Saint had protected them from the plague of 1656.

The column is composed of boulders coming from the columns of the Via Appia in Brindisi, while the statue was originally made of Venetian wood covered with copper.
ùSubsequently, following an accident in which the statue caught fire, it was cast in bronze and relocated to the top of the column where - apart from the restoration periods - it has remained to this day.

Palazzo del Sedile

It is a building dating to 1592, built by the will of the Venetian Doge Pietro Mocenigo and boasts a unique style, almost a fusion between Gothic and Renaissance.

The structure consists of four pillars pierced by ovules that reveal a column. In the middle, there are large arches with pointed arches, on top of which lodges decorated with trophies.

Its use was institutional and until 1851 it housed the headquarters of the Munucipio of Lecce. Today, it is used for exhibitions and art exhibitions.