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There are many religious places as churches, monasteries and sanctuaries in Salento; they are built by few metres from the sea or among the olive trees or in little villages. In the most of the cases, the churches have a Romanic style and a sober and essential aspect which is directed to a silent meditation and to prayer. This places are today as precious stages of a travel in the past trough the spirituality of people from Salento who invite to peace and quite in the middle of one of the most busy and lively tourist territory in south of Italy.
Churches are normally opened all days from 9a.m. to 12p.m. and from 4p.m. to 10p.m.
Otranto’s Cathedral
This Cathedral was founded in about 1080 with the intention to impose the basilica model of the Reformation in the Greek area; it was at first a church with a nave and two side aisles, with two lines of arches on pillars, large transept at only one hall concluded by three apses; then at the half of the XII century, it was made a tripartition of the transept by transverse arches and by the above-elevation of the longitudinal body and the substitution of the pillars for marble columns and capitals.
SANTA MARIA DI LEUCA
This sanctuary arose on the place of a temple of Minerva and it is called de Finibu Terrae which means “to the borders of the Land”. It is the destination of frequent pilgrimages. People believe that if you don’t visit this sanctuary while you are alive, you should go after your death to gain access to the Kingdom of Heaven. This sanctuary dates to the first century A.D. and it suffered damages and destruction by saraceno’s people and other invaders. It has been rebuilt in 1720 as it appears today.
Galatina
The Cathedral
Dedicated to Pietro and Paolo apostoles, Patron Saints of the city, this church dates from an ancient age even if it is not possible to specify the year of his foundation. However, the time of the beginning of one of the most old building of this temple can be established at about the half of the XIV century. This church officiated in Greek rite until Sisto IV pontiff (1471-1484) who ordered to all the ecclesiastics of the dioceses to adopt the Latin rite. Parish church, reduced in precarious static conditions, it was rebuilt in 1621-1633 and it was elevated from Parish to Collegiate church in 1664. The building was finished in 1770. This church, in a late baroque style, is made with leccese’s stone. It overlooks on the square with the same name Saint Pietro and it is dedicated not to the Apostoles’ Princes but to the Immaculate Conception of Mary. There are interesting frescos on the vault which represent the life of S.Pietro made by the Neapolitan Vincenzo Paliotti in 1875, and beautiful altars made of polychrome marble. In the old big chapel of the Sacrament there is an altar with the statue of the Immaculate in white marble made by Giuseppe Sammartino. There are also paintings which represent the Wash of foot, made by Serafino Elmo in 1756, Jesus walking on water and the Apparition of Jesus to Pietro. Don’t ignore the silver head and shoulders statue of S.Pietro and the treasury of the relics and vestments, altar cloths and holy vessels given by Lorenzo Mongiò monsignor, bishop of Lanciano and then of Pozzuoli.
MAGLIE
The Cathedral or Collegiate church.
It is the main church of the city and it maintains the Greek denomination as Big church.
It arises on the same place of two preceding churches, respectively of XVI and XIV centuries.
Even though it is not possible to indicate neither the designer nor the years of its building, it is still possible to fix the construction in the second half of ‘700 and to attribute the project to Felice de Palma architect from Alessano.
This church has a chiaroscuro façade which follows the course of the road.
The interior presents three large naves on sturdy pillars. The Greater and two altars on the transepthead emerge for their plastic quality sculpted on the stone and painted by hand by Emanuele Orfano. There is the statue of Our Lady of Mercy on the Greater and the statues of Pietro and Paolo apostles on the other altars; in the presbytery there is a ligneous 80 stalls chorus.
There is the chapel of the Sacrament on the right wing of the transept; it is covered by polychrome marble, a work of the Neapolitan Domenico d’Aloia. On the lateral walls there are two ovals painted by Oronzo Tiso: The Madonna and Child and Saint Gaetano on one oval and Saint Francesco from Paola on the other. There are also paintings made by Pietro Bardellino an Saverio Lillo on the two altars.
CASARANO
The Maria Santissima Annunziata Cathedral
This church was built on the explicit will of Orazio Fortunato bishop, from 1699 to 1712 on a pre-existent religion place of which there is still some traces on the external right side. On the summit of the door there is a niche with the statue of Beggar S.Giovanni, patron saint of the city, with two statues of archangels. On the superior side, there is a tondo where the date of finished work and the origin of the contributions are reported. The façade finishes with two niches in which there are Saint Pietro and Paolo’statues. The Latin cross with a starlike cover interior is divided into a presbytery, a transept and five lateral chapels, three on the right side and two on the left side of the nave.
There is a big painting made by Oronzo Tiso (XVIII century) which represent the Babylonia’s Furnace in front of the façade.
The Baptistery is collocated on left side of the entrance.
Collegiate church is one of the most riches in history among the churches of the Diocese of Nardò. It represent the casket of the religious and civil history of Copertino. Goffredo the Norman started the construction in 1088 and it was finished by Manfredi from Svevia in 1235 who provided it with numerous privileges becoming a Basilica named Virgin of the Snows. In 1400, Tristano Chiaromonte confirmed the old privileges and he provided this church with some prerogatives which allowed to the collective Chapter to set against the Episcopal power of the Diocese in Nardò on which it depended. The structure of today is the synthesis of different reconstructions made during the centuries. The pentagonal apse room realized by Francesco Maria Tarantino’s group in 1576 is one of the most important reconstructions. The sixteenth-century bell tower is of a considerable “neretina” linguistic exceptionality.
Gallipoli
The Cathedral or Collegiate church
It is the main church of the city and it maintains the Greek denomination as Big church.
It arises on the same place of two preceding churches, respectively of XVI and XIV centuries.
Even though it is not possible to indicate neither the designer nor the years of its building, it is still possible to fix the construction in the second half of ‘700 and to attribute the project to Felice de Palma architect from Alessano.
This church has a chiaroscuro façade which follows the course of the road.
The interior presents three large naves on sturdy pillars. The Greater and two altars on the transepthead emerge for their plastic quality sculpted on the stone and painted by hand by Emanuele Orfano. There is the statue of Our Lady of Mercy on the Greater and the statues of Pietro and Paolo apostles on the other altars; in the presbytery there is a ligneous 80 stalls chorus.
There is the chapel of the Sacrament on the right wing of the transept; it is covered by polychrome marble, a work of the Neapolitan Domenico d’Aloia. On the lateral walls there are two ovals painted by Oronzo Tiso: The Madonna and Child and Saint Gaetano on one oval and Saint Francesco da Paola on the other. There are also paintings made by Pietro Bardellino an Saverio Lillo on the two altars.
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