Editing Lecce (section)

== Main sights ==

=== Churches and religious buildings ===
* [[Basilica di Santa Croce (Lecce)|Church of the Holy Cross]]: construction of the ''Chiesa di Santa Croce'') was begun in 1353, but work halted until 1549, and it was completed only by 1695. The church has a richly decorated façade with animals, grotesque figures and vegetables, and a large rose window. Next to the church is the Government Palace, a former convent.
* [[Lecce Cathedral]]: the church was originally built in 1144, rebuilt in 1230, then totally restored in the 1659–70 by [[Giuseppe Zimbalo]], who also built the five storey {{convert|70|m|ft|adj=on}} high bell tower, with an octagonal [[loggia]].
* San Niccolò and Cataldo: the church is an example of Italo-Norman architecture. It was founded by [[Tancred of Sicily]] in 1180. In 1716 the façade was rebuilt, with the addition of numerous statues, but maintaining the original [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] portal. The walls were frescoed during the 15th-17th centuries.
* Celestine Convent: built (1549–1695) in [[Baroque architecture|Baroque]]-style by [[Giuseppe Zimbalo]]. The courtyard was designed by Gabriele Riccardi.
* Santa Irene: this church was commissioned in 1591 by the [[Theatines]] and dedicated to [[Irene of Thessalonica|Saint Irene]]. The architect was [[Francesco Grimaldi (architect)|Francesco Grimaldi]]). It has a large façade showing different styles in the upper and lower parts. Above the portal stands a statue of ''Ste Irene'' (1717) by Mauro Manieri. The interior is on the Latin cross plan and is rather sober. The main altarpiece is a copy of the ''St [[Michael the Archangel]]'' by [[Guido Reni]]. The high altar has a ''Transport of the Holy Ark'' by Oronzo Tiso. In the right transept is one of the largest altars in Lecce, dedicated to [[Saint Cajetan]] (1651). Nearby is the [[Rococo]] altar of Saint [[Andrew Avellino]]. Also from the mid-17th century is the ''Altar of St Orontius'' by [[Francesco Antonio Zimbalo]], followed by the altar of Saint Irene with a canvas by Giuseppe Verrio (1639), nine busts of saints housing relics and a large statue of the saint. The altar of [[Saint Stephen]] has the ''Stoning of St. Stephen'' by Verrio.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lecce.italiani.it/la-chiesa-di-santirene-dei-teatini-a-lecce/|title=La chiesa di Sant’Irene dei Teatini a Lecce|author=Luigi Bove|date=15 February 2019|language=IT}}</ref>
* San Matteo: this church was built in 1667. It has a typical central Italy Baroque style. It has two columns on the façade, only one of which is decorated, though only partially. According to a local legend, the jealous devil killed the sculptor before he could finish the work.
* Santa Maria degli Angeli
* Santa Chiara: this church was built in 1429–1438, rebuilt in 1687.
* San Francesco della Scarpa: known as the "church without façade" as the latter has been demolished in the 19th century restorations. The most ancient section dates likely to the 13th-14th centuries; the interior is on the Greek Cross plan. Notable are several Baroque altars and a large statue of [[Saint Joseph]].

=== Other buildings ===
* Column of statue of St Oronzo: (Lecce's patron) was given to Lecce by the city of [[Brindisi]], because Saint Oronzo was reputed to have cured the plague in Brindisi. The column was one of a pair that marked the end of the [[Appian Way]], the main road between [[Rome]] and southern Italy.
* Torre del Parco ("Park Tower"): is one of the medieval symbols of Lecce. It was erected in 1419 by the then-18 year old [[Giovanni Antonio Del Balzo Orsini]], prince of Lecce. The tower, standing at more than {{convert|23|m|ft}}, is surrounded by a ditch in which bears (the heraldic symbol of the Orsini del Balzo) were reared. The whole complex was the seat of Orsini's tribunal and of a mint, and after Giovanni Antonio's death, it became a residence for the Spanish viceroys.
* Palazzo Sedile: was built in 1592 and was used by the local council until 1852.
* [[Castle of Charles V]]: built in 1539–49 by Gian Giacomo dell'Acaja. It has a trapezoidal plan with angular bastions. It is attached to the Politeama Greco Opera House, inaugurated on 15 November 1884.
* Triumphal Arch (''Arco di Trionfo'', commonly called ''Porta Napoli'', "Neapolitan Gate"), which is one of the three gates to enter Lecce's historical city centre, erected in 1548 in honor of Charles V. It replaced an older gate, ''Porta S. Giusto'', which, according to tradition, lay over the tomb of the namesake saint. Also built over pre-existing medieval gates are the current ''Porta San Biagio'' ("St. Blaise Gate") and the ''Porta Rudiae'' which are the other two gates to Lecce's Historical city centre. Both are in Baroque style, the latter having the statue of St. Oronzo on the top and mythological figures on the sides.
* Palazzo dei Celestini: now seat of the Province of Lecce. It was built in 1659–95 and designed by [[Giuseppe Zimbalo]].
* The city's obelisk: erected in 1822 in honour of [[Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies]].

<gallery>
File:Piazza Sant'Oronzo (Lecce).jpg|''Piazza Sant'Oronzo''
File:Piazza Duomo (Lecce) 01.jpg|''Piazza del Duomo''
File:Lecce - Santa Croce - 17.jpg|Lower part of the facade of ''[[Basilica di Santa Croce (Lecce)|Basilica di Santa Croce]]''
File:Lecce san giovanni battista.jpg|Church of ''San Giovanni Battista''
File:Palazzo dei Celestini (Lecce) 01.jpg|''Palazzo dei Celestini''
File:Arco di Prato (Lecce).jpg|''Arco di Prato''
File:Porta Napoli, Lecce.jpg|''Porta Napoli''
File:Lecce - Porta Rudiae - 2.jpg|Pediment of ''Porta Rudiae''
Lecce - Palazzo Marrese - 02.jpg|Female caryatids on the facade of ''palazzo Marrese''
Lecce - Ferdinando I di Borbone Obelisk.jpg|''Ferdinando I di Borbone Obelisk''
</gallery>

=== Gardens and parks ===
* [[Orto Botanico di Lecce]], a [[botanical garden]].

=== Archaeology ===
* The Roman 2nd century [[amphitheatre]], situated near Sant'Oronzo Square, was able to seat more than 25,000 people. It is now half-buried because other monuments were built above it over the centuries. The theatre is currently used for various religious and arts events.
* The archaeological museum ''Sigismondo Castromediano''.
* The archaeological museum ''Faggiano''.
* The archaeological park of [[Rudiae]], three kilometres south-west of the city but within its limits. The place was identified as the former home of the poet [[Ennius]] by [[Antonio de Ferraris]], a [[Renaissance Humanist]] who was from the region.<ref>Pietro Napoli Signorelli, Vicende della coltura nelle due Sicilie, Naples 1784, [https://books.google.com/books?id=2kKKhwIqvO8C&dq=%22Antonio+de+Ferraris+%22+Ennius&pg=PA246 Vol.1, p.246ff]</ref> This was once the more important city until Roman times and has an amphitheatre of its own, a [[necropolis]] and remains of substantial walls. The Porta Rudiae, built on the road leading from this site, is named after it.