The Santa Croce

The Santa Croce construction has begun in 1353 unfortunately his patron, Gualtiero VI di Brienne died three years after.

The work has been resumed only in 1549 thanks to the Lecce's architects, Gabriele Riccardi, Giuseppe Zimbalo e Cesare Penna.

The construction was finished after 150 years.

The Church facade, and the adjoining monastery, that already gived hospitality to the Celestini order, constitutes an architectural complex of extraordinary beauty, surely the biggest expression of the Barocco architecture of the Terra d'Otranto.

The first order of the facade, was completed in 1582 by Gabriele Riccardi. The major door, was builded in 1606 by Francesco Antonio Zimbalo, and it is surmounted by the armorial bearings of Filippo III di Spagna, wich has on the left the armorial bearings of Maria d'Enghien and on the right the armorial bearings of Gualtiero VI di Brienne duke of Athens, whereas on the two lateral doors are present the armorial bearings of the Celestini order and the Santa Croce.

 

 The lateral order is closed by two statues that represent respectively Faith and Charity.

The facade is the triumph of the decorative fantasy, notice some redundant elements like the flames and the lions that are Faith symbols, pelicans and pomegranate that are Passion symbols

 The inside of the church, has five nave, two of wich are absorbed by the eighteenth chapel, in total it comprises 17 altars.