Piazza Sant'Oronzo (St. Orontius Square), Lecce (must see)
Welcome to St. Orontius Square, Lecce鈥檚 very own 鈥渁ll-you-can-feast鈥� buffet of food, wine, music, and people-watching鈥攖ruly the city鈥檚 beating heart. You can arrive here via practically any road or, if you鈥檙e feeling dramatic, pass under one of the ancient gates鈥擭apoli, Rudiae, or San Biagio鈥攁nd step straight into the action.
Look around: beneath your feet lies the mosaic 鈥淥val,鈥� laid in 1930 by Giuseppe Nicolardi (artisan at heart), flaunting Lecce鈥檚 coat of arms鈥攁 she-wolf under a holm oak. Locals treat it like sacred ground, hopping over it rather than risk the she-wolf鈥檚 anger. Half-buried under the elegant Church of Holy Mary of Grace, peek the arches of the Roman Amphitheater鈥攁 stage that鈥檚 been hiding in plain sight since the days of Emperors Hadrian and Augustus in the 2nd century AD. Flanking the square are contrasting palaces鈥攐ne a monument to Fascist Rationalism, another the graceful 鈥淪eat of Venice鈥濃�攁nd at its center, the bronze Saint Oronzo, Lecce鈥檚 patron saint, stranded atop a 95-foot Roman column since 1739, still blessing the Carafa Palace and the entire city he once saved from the plague of 1656.
Saint Orontius Square is the perfect launchpad to discover the wonders of Lecce. Just remember: don鈥檛 step on the oval, do raise your glass to Saint Oronzo, and savor every golden-hued moment in Lecce鈥檚 grandest gathering place.
Look around: beneath your feet lies the mosaic 鈥淥val,鈥� laid in 1930 by Giuseppe Nicolardi (artisan at heart), flaunting Lecce鈥檚 coat of arms鈥攁 she-wolf under a holm oak. Locals treat it like sacred ground, hopping over it rather than risk the she-wolf鈥檚 anger. Half-buried under the elegant Church of Holy Mary of Grace, peek the arches of the Roman Amphitheater鈥攁 stage that鈥檚 been hiding in plain sight since the days of Emperors Hadrian and Augustus in the 2nd century AD. Flanking the square are contrasting palaces鈥攐ne a monument to Fascist Rationalism, another the graceful 鈥淪eat of Venice鈥濃�攁nd at its center, the bronze Saint Oronzo, Lecce鈥檚 patron saint, stranded atop a 95-foot Roman column since 1739, still blessing the Carafa Palace and the entire city he once saved from the plague of 1656.
Saint Orontius Square is the perfect launchpad to discover the wonders of Lecce. Just remember: don鈥檛 step on the oval, do raise your glass to Saint Oronzo, and savor every golden-hued moment in Lecce鈥檚 grandest gathering place.
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.
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Piazza Sant'Oronzo (St. Orontius Square) on Map
Sight Name: Piazza Sant'Oronzo (St. Orontius Square)
Sight Location: Lecce, Italy (See walking tours in Lecce)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Lecce, Italy (See walking tours in Lecce)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
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
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
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles