Basilica di Santa Croce (Basilica of the Holy Cross), Lecce

Basilica di Santa Croce (Basilica of the Holy Cross), Lecce (must see)

By the 16th century, Lecce鈥檚 blueprint for holy real estate was simple: clear out the Jewish neighborhood, lay the stones for a grand church, and call it progress. Back in 1510, the city鈥檚 Jews were unceremoniously shown the door鈥攁nd by 1549, architects and stone masons were on the job, creating a new basilica for the venerable Celestine monastery next door.

The architects in charge took their sweet time, tacking on Baroque flourishes for well over a century. Finally, in 1699, the Basilica of the Holy Cross unveiled its riotously ornate fa莽ade: six sleek columns flanking the portal, topped by a frieze bristling with fantastical beasts and exotic foliage. Keep an eye out for the heraldic cameos鈥擯hilip III of Spain, Mary of Enghien, Walter VI of Brienne (all kings and queens)鈥攁nd even the hefty visages of captured Turks propping up the decorative band.

Step inside, and you鈥檒l find a Latin-cross layout with three central aisles (two side lanes now chapels) and a 1590 dome that鈥檚 stubbornly resisted every earthquake. Sixteen Baroque altars gleam in the glow鈥攏one more show-stopping than the 1615 masterpiece to Saint Francis of Paola, tucked into the left transept like the city鈥檚 most precious keepsake. Paintings of shepherds adoring, Mary annunciating, and the flight into Egypt line the walls, while the wooden ceiling鈥攔ebuilt in 1800鈥攁rches overhead.

In Lecce, even a church tells a century-long story of ambition, artistry, and a dash of architectural one-upmanship.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Lecce. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The 黑料吃瓜网 App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Basilica di Santa Croce (Basilica of the Holy Cross)
Sight Location: Lecce, Italy (See walking tours in Lecce)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Lecce, Italy

Create Your Own Walk in Lecce

Creating your own self-guided walk in Lecce is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Lecce Introduction Walking Tour

German historian Ferdinand Gregorovius called Lecce 鈥渢he Florence of the Baroque era.鈥� The city traces its beginnings around the time of the Trojan Wars, which took place around the 11th century BC. However, it first steps firmly into the record in the 3rd century BC as Lupiae under Roman control. The name is thought to come from lupus, the Latin word for wolf, recalling the animals that once... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles

Lecce's Baroque Churches Walking Tour

Lecce isn鈥檛 shy about its reputation鈥攊t鈥檚 often called the 鈥淐apital of Baroque,鈥� and one stroll through the old town makes it clear why. This southern Italian city turned its soft local limestone, Lecce stone, into an architect鈥檚 playground. Elaborate fa莽ades, swirling details, and sculptures bursting from the walls made the 17th century feel like one long design competition. And with... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles

黑料吃瓜网