Placed in the middle of evocative, charming Piazza Duomo there is the beautiful Cathedral of Lecce, built in 1114 and subsequently reconstructed by Giuseppe Zimbalo between 1659 and 1670. Its sober main façade on two orders, shows a triangular tympanum with statues and a huge bronze door created for the Jubilee of 2000. From the square, the beautiful side façade can be seen. This is a stately triumphal arc surmounted by a statue of S. Oronzo and a valuable portal decorated with dancing putti.
Its magnificent inside is developed over one nave and two aisles. The nave has a gold, wooden lacunars ceiling made in 1685 with the transept. These include several interesting paintings portraying the preaching of S. Oronzo, the Expulsion of the plague, the martyrdom of S. Oronzo and the Last Supper, this last hosted in the transept. The altars, including elegant twisted columns decorated with flower, plant and animal patterns, have a high artistic value. Besides Giuseppe Zimbalo, Cesare Penna and Pietro Gagliardi contributed to the first and second altar. Four column rows enriched with Romanesque capitals can be found in the crypt, a cubic hall constructed in 1517.
A Brief History:
The Cathedral was started in 1629, during the baroque period. A Medieval church destroyed during early XVII Century already existed where this building was constructed. This new cathedral was dedicated to the same saint, St. Agata, and also kept the relics of other saints, among which St. Faustus' relics can still be found there. A relic of St. Agata was kept in this Cathedral until the Basilica di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria in Galatina was completed. In 1997, the relic (a breast of St. Agata) was moved back to the Cathedral.
Main Works:
A beautiful 1656 painting of St. Oronzo by Giovanni Andrea Coppola surmounts the right altar. Our Lady of the Assumption, Noah's sacrifice, and Elijah's challenge to the priests of Baal, created by Oronzo Tiso in 1757 and 1758, are as beautiful and very interesting. The 1759 wooden choir certainly is very valuable.
Style:
The Cathedral has a Latin cross layout with a nave and two aisles. These are divided by pillars with half-columns. Twelve altars decorate the inside. The high altar is of Neapolitan tradition. Made of bronze and marble, it is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption and portrays several works commissioned by Bishop Sersale. These represent “Noah's sacrifice after the Flood” and the “Sacrifice of prophet Elijah”.
Sources: By the editorial staff Updated on: 23/12/2008
Project created in collaboration with InnovaPuglia.
Regione Puglia
Regione Puglia