If one wanted to single out in Lecce, the Baroque capital of the South, a monument that was even more Baroque than the others, this would undoubtedly be the Basilica of Santa Croce.

The exterior is white, of Lecce stone. The interior is coloured, with Byzantine frescoes. The Abbey of Santa Maria di Cerrate reveals itself in all its splendour, unveiling vestiges and traces of the various eras it has lived through, re-emerging from the restoration work carried out by the FAI (Italian National Trust), which has held the property in concession since 2012.

21 years of work to build it, 5 balconied levels of decreasing size, reaching a height of 73 metres, including the statue of Sant'Oronzo (Saint Orontius) standing on top of the majolica dome. This is the bell tower of the Duomo of Lecce, a magnificent building, the tallest in the whole Salento area.