History
Lecce is the richest city in history and culture in Salento, the city stands on an ancient Messapian settlement, as evidenced by the findings of tombs and small sections of the city walls. It is thought that this ancient Messapian settlement was in fact a small village built near Ancient Rudiae, the homeland of Quinto Ennio.
During the second century B.C. the city of Lecce was called Lupiae, at that time Lecce emerged from the other centers of the area and became first a municipality and then a colony. During the domination of the empire of Hadrian the great Amphitheater and the Theater were built, and a road was also built which connected Lecce with the port of Hadrian, known today as Marina di San Cataldo. With the emperor Marcus Aurelius, Lecce acquired economic well-being and had a strong building expansion. Apart from a short period of Greek domination, Lecce remained under Roman control for about five centuries.
The county of Lecce was founded by Roberto il Giuscardo, who transformed it into a point of reference for chivalric culture. The construction of the church of S.S. Niccolò and Cataldo, which has now become one of the most important medieval monuments in southern Italy. The Normans were dominated by the Swabians, and the Swabians by the Angevins, the Brienne and the Del Balzo Orsini. During the fifteenth century, Lecce became an important commercial center and in a short time it was transformed into a hub of cultural wealth that characterized Salento. Thanks to Carlo Quinto in Salento, you can breathe new air, the period of the Salento Renaissance had arrived.
In Lecce the Castle, the city walls, a triumphal arch, built to commemorate Charles V (today this monument is called Porta Napoli) and the Hospital of the Holy Spirit were built.
During the Spanish period, Lecce was considered an important artistic and cultural centre, immediately after Naples. In this period Lecce was enriched with stupendous buildings and monuments in Baroque art, the city had changed its being, it had become a reference point for art on the national scene. In this period, the churches of S. Teresa, S. Chiara, S. Angelo, the Palazzo dei Celestini and the splendid Piazza Duomo were built, the point where numerous monuments harmoniously linked by a single style, the Baroque, are concentrated. In fact, in Piazza Duomo we can admire the Cathedral, the stupendous bell tower, the Seminary and the Bishop’s Palace.
In 1592 in Piazza S. Oronzo the Seat was built, also called by the name of Seggio, and around 1660 the column of S. Oronzo was brought.
In 1821 Lecce sent an army to oppose the Austrians during the Carbonari revolts. After the unification, Lecce developed further between 1895 and 1915, and in this period a series of projects aimed at carrying out numerous public works began, and construction began outside the city walls.
In 1927 the province of Lecce was detached from that of Taranto and Brindisi, starting from here an independent path of cultural and economic growth not indifferent to the city of Lecce and Salento.
During this journey through history, Lecce has today acquired importance and artistic beauty comparable to the most important cities of Italy.
About Lecce
Lecce: Santa Croce
Lecce is a riot of cherubs; the Baroque masterpiece of southern Italy. Sometimes described as the ‘Florence of the Baroque’ or the ‘Rome of the South’, Lecce is really the only city destination in mainland Italy south of Naples which is appealing enough to attract large numbers of tourists. It lies in the region of Puglia, down at the heel of Italy’s boot, surrounded by attractive countryside, seashore and small towns. The town is easy to reach by budget flights from the UK, and makes a good destination for a weekend break or a touring holiday.
Lecce’s history goes back a long way – you can still see ruins of a Roman theatre and amphitheatre – but the period which led to town’s current fame was the 17th century. A period of prosperity led to grand developments and the wholesale construction of palaces and churches. These buildings adapted the fashionable Baroque style to the soft local stone, with decorations and cherubs extravagantly covering facades and doorways. This local style is known as barocco Leccese (‘Lecce Baroque’).
Things to see in Lecce
Lecce has a lovely historic centre (centro storico), and travellers can easily spend a day or two exploring picturesque little lanes and finding the more far-flung Baroque churches. The town’s great artistic treasure is its architecture; in terms of other arts, such as painting, Lecce cannot really compare with northerly towns like Florence and Rome. If you are planning to stay more than a couple of days, consider hiring a car or using public transport to make day trips, or moving on to a second, contrasting base like seaside Otranto or quaint Alberobello.
There are several ‘tourist information offices’ in Lecce, some of which are really not much more than shops selling local products. Most of these offices, including one in the old castle, will provide town maps (beware of confusion caused by maps which don’t orient north at the top of the page). The most useful information office we found was based in the police HQ in Piazza Sant’Oronzo, where an English-speaking policewoman researched buses with great thoroughness.
Piazza del Duomo, Lecce
The most over-the-top decoration in town is to be seen at the Basilica di Santa Croce, which has a fantastical facade to marvel at, ornamented with strange beasts and allegories. As you wander you’ll also come across a couple of unfinished churches. Visitors will gaze at Lecce’s architecture with wonder, sometimes admiration or perhaps – if cherubs really aren’t your thing – with appalled fascination. How many ways can you carve a cherub, or putto? My personal favourite is a parade of putti carrying giant letters in a dedication written across the facade of Santa Maria di Costantinopoli.
The town has two main focal points: Piazza Sant’Oronzo and Piazza del Duomo. Piazza Sant’Oronzo is the big civic heart of the town, a large square with a slightly strange and incomplete atmosphere, the ancient and the modern sitting uncomfortably together. Among the varied structures here is the town’s excavated Roman amphitheatre. The statue of a bishop perched on a column represents Sant’Oronzo, a patron saint of Lecce. The column is one of two which originally marked the end of the Roman Appian Way in Brindisi (the other is still in Brindisi). Piazza del Duomo is an unusual interpretation of that familiar Italian cathedral square. In Lecce the cathedral sits in one corner of a theatrical enclosed square; a still space in the heart of town. Alongside is the high campanile.
A good way to enjoy an initial introduction to Lecce’s centro storico is to take the little tourist ‘train’ (trenino) which offers a guided tour of the centre. Fun, useful or kitsch depending on your age, fitness and outlook, this is the single most obvious manifestation of tourism in the town as it parp-parps its way around the narrow lanes. You’ll see it pass, and you can hop on and off at various stops.
It’s worth visiting the Roman theatre and its little museum, in the centre of Lecce (Museo Teatro Romano, open Mon-Sat mornings). The town’s principal archaeological museum, the Museo Provinciale, has some interesting exhibits from Puglia’s long history, including Greek and pre-Greek ceramics. Entrance is free; the museum is located on Viale Gallipoli, not far from the railway station. It’s closed for an hour at lunchtime, and on Sunday afternoons.
Lecce
Lecce has a true southern rhythm. As the day heats up, the streets empty and during the hottest afternoon hours only a handful of overheated tourists can be spotted in the historic lanes. Churches and businesses generally close for several hours. Local people re-appear as the afternoon cools into evening, but the passeggiata hour here is later than northern parts of Italy. Smart youngsters, families with small children and the elderly all promenade the streets late in the evenings, with the town coming to life between eight and midnight.