Today, the last leg of our discovery of Puglia, will include a visit to Lecce that, due to its prevailing Baroque architecture, is commonly nicknamed "The Florence of the South" and, after lunch, we will go to Otranto, the easternmost city in Italy.
On our heading south, just one-minute stop to take a photo of..
On our heading south, just one-minute stop to take a photo of..
Locorotondo city, now a historical centre, known for its circular structure, from which its name that means 'Round Place', derives.
We have a pretty long drive to reach Lecce. We'll start our city tour at the main square, the site of a Roman amphitheatre, half buried now below the modern city.
Lecce is completely unexpected and seems oddly out of place and the answer to it is the stone – a type of limestone that is soft enough to be worked easily with a chisel. This famed material allowed the builders of sixteenth century to indulge themselves in their Baroque fantasies and so ornate is the masonry work that it is difficult to gauge where architecture ends and decoration begins...
After visiting the Cathedral (photo above), we are walking into the side streets of the Duomo Square and make our way to the Basilica di Santa Croce...
This is said to be the most beautiful church in the city and it may well have been... We can't go inside it. Visits are not allowed. The front is covered in scaffolding.
We have a pretty long drive to reach Lecce. We'll start our city tour at the main square, the site of a Roman amphitheatre, half buried now below the modern city.
No problem, let's go ahead with our walk and look at so many fantasies all carved with great care.
Shall we step into the atelier of an artisan of papier-mâché (a craft that is unique to Lecce) and watch him demonstrating his skill?
Our discovery of Puglia ends with a visit to Otranto, whose story is best told in its amazing cathedral where the bones of 813 martyrs are displayed in a glass case behind the altar... Don't you find it a macabre reliquary? I do...
Perhaps you hadn't expected our discovery of Puglia to have had such a macabre end... it hasn't had it at all...if you give a look at the images of the slideshow you will see how different it has been... Rome, where we will arrive soon, is waiting for us...
I hope you have enjoyed the discovery of Puglia as much as I have...
Can I expect you to follow me during my stay in Rome? I do hope so...
Can I expect you to follow me during my stay in Rome? I do hope so...
Lecce is known for its exuberant baroque architecture in the golden Leccese stone of the area... you captured it really very well... This part of Italy is a special, authentic place that will take us way off the beaten track... I'm a big fun of Italy...Hope you enjoyed it well...
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Viera, however, exuberant baroque style is not my cup of tea....
DeleteThanks for the visit and comment..
There is no doubt that the scale and craftsmanship here is very impressive, but I have to say I much prefer the smaller, more intimate architecture of the previous legs of your journey. The papier-mache artist was very interesting, a rarely-seen style of craftsmanship these days. I appreciated the slideshow more this time, as the fades between photos were easier on the eye than the left-to-right you used on the previous ones....they made my eyes go strange!! I'm looking forward to seeing Rome though your eyes......a tantalising little glimpse at the end of the slideshow, of the sculpture of Romulus and Remus.
ReplyDeleteHi Mitch! I appreciate your comment, as always, but this time more than ever... your words are very frank which I really liked reading. Why hadn't you told me before about the slideshow??? As I think you know, sometimes the viewer/reader is more objective than the 'author', therefore I would have changed the slideshow from the moment I had been told about it... Anyway, better late than never so, from now on, I will follow your opinion... Sorry, anyway, for your eye discomfort caused by the previous slideshows...
DeleteThanks for the visit!.
And you also visited at least part of the Salento area! Unfortunately I did not visited it yes, so I enjoyed very much your views.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm curious to look how you will catch the magic of Rome, beware because I'll be a hard critic :)
Yesss, Edoardo, but just a bit of it...
DeleteI have already noticed how a serious critic you are, however, thanks for the prior notice... Even though, I'm open to read whatever comment you will drop on the related posts to be coming soon... You're always welcome, either you comment favourably or not...
Thanks!
I enjoyed our fabulous journey and find the workmanship on the building amazing as usual. A lost art me thinks. Looking forward to seeing Rome with you my friend.
ReplyDeleteHuggles.
Hi Shayna! Your wandering with me through Puglia gave me a great pleasure and I'm sure that the same is going to happen in Rome...
DeleteThanks!
Ornate, creative and artistic architecture ... all very pleasing and interesting to me, since I am rarely exposed to this... I can see why it might be called 'The Florence of the South'! I love the sunshine and the warmth I feel in the place. Nice set, I'm looking forward to Rome!!
ReplyDeleteHi Monica! All your adjectives qualifying the local architecture suit perfectly the reality. In my modest opinion, there is nothing similar to Florence, yet I can understand why the south of Italy also wants to have its own Florence...
DeleteWe will meet in Rome, soon...
Meanwhile, thanks!