Today, Traivel takes you to discover the beauty of the Basilica of Santa Croce in Lecce.
The Basilica of Santa Croce is an architectural masterpiece, an emblem of Lecce Baroque, and one of the most important and admired churches in Lecce. Its construction began in 1549, promoted by the Celestine fathers, after the demolition of the ancient temple and monastery founded in the 14th century by Gualtiero VI di Brienne, Count of Lecce.
The construction of the Basilica, completed in 1699, saw the succession of important Lecce architects: Gabriele Riccardi, Francesco Antonio Zimbalo, and Cesare Penna, supported by skilled local stonemasons and carvers.
The initial project by Gabriele Riccardi gave the church a classical structure, evident in the lower part of the façade, enriched with six columns with zoomorphic capitals and a classically inspired frieze. In 1606, Francesco Antonio Zimbalo took over, focusing on the three portals, particularly the main one, surmounted by the coats of arms of Philip III of Spain, Maria d'Enghien, and Gualtiero VI di Brienne.
The side portals feature the coats of arms of Santa Croce and the Celestine Order. The upper part of the façade, realized by Cesare Penna, is preceded by a balcony with zoomorphic and anthropomorphic corbels, and embellished by a refined rose window from 1646, rich in decorative elements.
The Lecce stone decorations are not mere ornaments but are full of meaning. Santa Croce symbolizes the triumph of Christianity over paganism, with the lower order representing hell and the upper one representing paradise. The church is a compendium of symbols related to Celestine V and his order.
The interior has a Latin cross plan, with three naves divided by columns with zoomorphic capitals depicting the faces of the apostles. A dome decorated with festoons, angels, and fruit surmounts the apse, which houses an 18th-century high altar. The side naves house richly decorated chapels in the Baroque style.
Among the numerous altars, stand out the altar of Sant'Oronzo, with a votive canvas, and the altar of San Francesco da Paola, made by Francesco Antonio Zimbalo, a true didactic book in Lecce stone.
The Celestines oversaw the Basilica until 1807, when monastic orders were suppressed. The convent became the seat of public offices, and the church suffered vandalism. In 1833, the Brotherhood of the Holy Trinity of Pilgrims took charge of the restoration.