Lecce

Lecce (102,570 inhabitants in 2004) is a city in the region of Apulia (sometimes called Salento) in the south of Italy. It is the capital of the province of Lecce.

Lecce is called "La Firenze del Sud" (The Florence of the South) because of the important Baroque monuments found there. It is an important agricultural (chiefly oil and wine) and industrial centre, specialising in ceramic production.

Lecce is known for its important Baroque monuments.

Churches and religious buildings

The most important is the Church of the Holy Cross (Chiesa di Santa Croce). It was begun in 1353, but work was halted until 1549, to be completed only in 1695. The church has a richly decorated façade with animals, grotesque figures and vegetables, and a large rose window. Next to the church is the Government Palace, a former convent.

The Duomo (cathedral) is also one of the most significant in Italy. It was originally built in 1144, and rebuilt in 1230. It was totally restored in the years 1659-70 by Giuseppe Zimbalo, who also built the 70 m-high bell tower. The latter has five floors and an octagonal loggia.

The church of San Niccolò and Cataldo is an example of Italo-Norman architecture. It was founded by Tancred of Sicily in 1180. In 1716 the façade was rebuilt, with the addition of numerous statues, but maintaining the fine original portal. The interior has a nave and two aisles, with ogival arcades and a dome in the centre of the nave. The frescoes on the walls are from the 15th-17th centuries.

The Celestines' Convent (1549-1695), ewith Baroque decorations by Giuseppe Zimbalo. The courtyard was designed by Gabriele Riccardi.

The church of the Theatines (St. Irene, built from 1591)

Santa Maria degli Angeli

Santa Chiara (1429-1438), rebuilt in 1687

Other buildings

The Roman Amphitheatre, built in the 2nd century and situated near Sant'Oronzo Square, was able to seat more than 25,000 people. It is now half-buried because other monuments were built above it over the centuries.

The column holding the statue of Saint Oronzo (Lecce's patron) was given to Lecce by the city of Brindisi, because Saint Oronzo was reputed to have cured the plague in Brindisi. The column was one of a pair that marked the end of the Appian Way, the main road between Rome and southern Italy.

The Sedile was built in 1592 and was used by the local council until 1852.

The Castle of Charles V was built in 1539-49 by Gian Giacomo dell'Acaja. It has a trapezoidal plan with angular bastions. It is attached to the Politeama Greco Opera House, inaugurated on November 15, 1884.

Gardens and parks

Orto Botanico di Lecce, a botanical garden.