Lecce's greatest attraction is probably its Baroque architecture, seen most splendidly in its many churches. Baroque is described as 'a highly opulent style of building, design and art that originated in Italy in the 17th century, and spread to the rest of Europe and the world. It is characterised by extremely detailed forms, marble, large-scale decoration and bright colours.' [Quote from The Spruce on line.]
Lecce has a ticket package that takes you to the top four Baroque churches in the city, and we did that today.
First we went to the Chiesa di San Matteo (Church of St. Matthew) which was built between 1667 and 1700. In all these churches the local sandstone aids the Baroque form of art. The interior here is typical of the Salento Baroque style.
Chiesa di Santa Chiara (Church of St Clare) was also re-built on a previous structure, this one in 1687 to 1691. This is considered a Baroque masterpiece both inside and out. Of note is the paper maché false ceiling from the 18th century.
The Basilica di Santa Croce was built by the religious order of Celestines between 1549 and 1646. The facade is considered the highest example of Lecce Baroque because of its richness and symbolic references. The interior has some very impressive elements by some of the most important artists of the time.
The last baroque church was the Duomo, or Cathedral. This building was also rebuilt on a former church, in 1659 to 1670 by the local architect Guiseppe Zimbalo. It has several entrances and inside it has many Baroque altars of Lecce stone. There is an impressive crypt below the Duomo but no photos allowed.
The Baroque style is not to everyone's liking, in a city with a variety of styles I would not rate Baroque in my favourites, but in Lecce where you are comparing Baroque with Baroque I can see features which I like.
The Basilica of Santa Croce is impressive, has much to like about it and I can see why it is popular for weddings . Today it was being used for filming, possibly a documentary.
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