![Anfiteatro romano Lecce](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Anfiteatro_romano_Lecce.jpg)
Lecce ( ); el, label=
Griko
Griko, sometimes spelled Grico, is the dialect of Italiot Greek spoken by Griko people in Salento (province of Lecce) and (also called Grecanic) in Calabria. Some Greek linguists consider it to be a Modern Greek dialect and often call it ( el, ...
, Luppìu, script=Latn; la, Lupiae; grc, Λουπίαι, translit=Loupíai), group=pron is a historic city of 95,766 inhabitants (2015) in
southern Italy
Southern Italy ( it, Sud Italia or ) also known as ''Meridione'' or ''Mezzogiorno'' (), is a macroregion of the Italian Republic consisting of its southern half.
The term ''Mezzogiorno'' today refers to regions that are associated with the peop ...
. It is the
capital
Capital may refer to:
Common uses
* Capital city, a municipality of primary status
** List of national capital cities
* Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences
* Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
of the
province of Lecce
The Province of Lecce ( it, Provincia di Lecce; Salentino: ) is a province in the Apulia region of Italy whose capital is the city of Lecce. The province is called the "Heel of Italy". Located on the Salento peninsula, it is the second most-p ...
, the province of second-highest population in the region of
Apulia
it, Pugliese
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, as well as one of that region's most important cities. It is the main city of the
Salentine Peninsula, a sub-peninsula at the heel of the
Italian Peninsula, and is over 2,000 years old.
Because of the rich
Baroque architectural
Baroque architecture is a highly decorative and theatrical style which appeared in Italy in the early 17th century and gradually spread across Europe. It was originally introduced by the Catholic Church, particularly by the Jesuits, as a means t ...
monuments found in the city, Lecce is commonly nicknamed "The
Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
of the South". In terms of industry, the "Lecce stone"—a particular kind of
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
—is one of the city's main exports, because it is very soft and workable, thus suitable for sculptures. Lecce is also an important
agricultural
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating Plant, plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of Sedentism, sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of Domestication, domesticated species created food ...
centre, chiefly for its
olive oil
Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea''; family Oleaceae), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking: f ...
and
wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
production, as well as an industrial centre specializing in
ceramic
A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcelain ...
production.
Lecce is home to the
University of Salento
The University of Salento ( it, Università del Salento, called until 2007 ''Università degli Studi di Lecce'') is a university located in Lecce, Italy. It was founded in 1955 by Giuseppe Codacci Pisanelli.
The university of Salento commenced act ...
, founded in 1955 and enrolling more than 16,000 students as of 2017/18.
History
According to legend, a city called ''Sybar'' existed at the time of the
Trojan War
In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans (Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, king of Sparta. The war is one of the most important events in Greek mythology and has ...
, founded by the
Messapii
The Messapians ( grc, Μεσσάπιοι, Messápioi; la, Messapii) were a Iapygian tribe who inhabited Salento in classical antiquity. Two other Iapygian tribes, the Peucetians and the Daunians, inhabited central and northern Apulia respective ...
. It was conquered by the
Romans
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
in the 3rd century BC, receiving the new name of ''Lupiae''.
Under the emperor
Hadrian
Hadrian (; la, Caesar Trâiānus Hadriānus ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. He was born in Italica (close to modern Santiponce in Spain), a Roman ''municipium'' founded by Italic settlers in Hispania B ...
(2nd century AD) the city was moved to the northeast, taking the name of Licea or Litium. Lecce had a theater and an amphitheater and was connected to the Hadrian Port (the current
San Cataldo).
Orontius of Lecce
Saint Orontius of Lecce ( it, Sant'Oronzo, sometimes or ; Leccese: ) is venerated as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, along with two other figures associated with his legend, Fortunatus and Justus. He is viewed as the first bishop of Lecce ...
, locally called Sant'Oronzo, is considered to have served as the city's first Christian bishop and is Lecce's patron saint.
After the fall of the
Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire comprised the western provinces of the Roman Empire at any time during which they were administered by a separate independent Imperial court; in particular, this term is used in historiography to describe the period fr ...
, Lecce was sacked by the
Ostrogoth
The Ostrogoths ( la, Ostrogothi, Austrogothi) were a Roman-era Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Gothic kingdoms within the Roman Empire, based upon the large Gothic populations who ...
king
Totila
Totila, original name Baduila (died 1 July 552), was the penultimate King of the Ostrogoths, reigning from 541 to 552 AD. A skilled military and political leader, Totila reversed the tide of the Gothic War, recovering by 543 almost all the t ...
in the
Gothic Wars
The Gothic Wars were a long series of conflicts between the Goths and the Roman Empire between the years 249 and 554. The main wars are detailed below.
Gothic War (249–253)
(Goths under Cniva against the Roman Empire)
The War was probably in ...
. It was restored to Roman rule in 549, and remained part of the
Eastern Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
for five centuries, with brief conquests by
Saracen
upright 1.5, Late 15th-century German woodcut depicting Saracens
Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek and Latin writings, to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the Romans as Arabia Pe ...
s and
Lombards
The Lombards () or Langobards ( la, Langobardi) were a Germanic people who ruled most of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774.
The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written between 787 and ...
.
After the
Norman
Norman or Normans may refer to:
Ethnic and cultural identity
* The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries
** People or things connected with the Norm ...
conquest in the 11th century, Lecce regained commercial and political importance (count
Tancred of Lecce
Tancred ( it, Tancredi; 113820 February 1194) was King of Sicily from 1189 to 1194. He was born in Lecce an illegitimate son of Roger III, Duke of Apulia (the eldest son of King Roger II) by his mistress Emma, a daughter of Achard II, Count of ...
was the last Norman King of Sicily), flourishing in the subsequent
Hohenstaufen
The Hohenstaufen dynasty (, , ), also known as the Staufer, was a noble family of unclear origin that rose to rule the Duchy of Swabia from 1079, and to royal rule in the Holy Roman Empire during the Middle Ages from 1138 until 1254. The dynasty ...
and
Angevine rule. The
County of Lecce was one of the largest and most important fiefs in the
Kingdom of Sicily
The Kingdom of Sicily ( la, Regnum Siciliae; it, Regno di Sicilia; scn, Regnu di Sicilia) was a state that existed in the south of the Italian Peninsula and for a time the region of Ifriqiya from its founding by Roger II of Sicily in 1130 un ...
from 1053 to 1463, when it was annexed directly to the crown. From the 15th century, Lecce was one of the most important cities of southern Italy, and, starting in 1630, it was enriched with precious Baroque monuments. To avert invasion by the Ottomans, a new line of walls and a castle were built by
Charles V Charles V may refer to:
* Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558)
* Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain
* Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise
* Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690)
* Infan ...
(who was also
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans ( la, Imperator Romanorum, german: Kaiser der Römer) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period ( la, Imperat ...
), in the first part of the 16th century.
In 1656, a
plague
Plague or The Plague may refer to:
Agriculture, fauna, and medicine
*Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis''
* An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural)
* A pandemic caused by such a disease
* A swarm of pe ...
broke out in the city, killing a thousand inhabitants.
In 1943,
fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft are fixed-wing military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air superiority of the battlespace. Domination of the airspace above a battlefield ...
based in Lecce helped support isolated Italian
garrisons
A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...
in the
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea ; tr, Ege Denizi (Greek language, Greek: Αιγαίο Πέλαγος: "Egéo Pélagos", Turkish language, Turkish: "Ege Denizi" or "Adalar Denizi") is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It ...
during
World War 2
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. Because they were delayed by the
Allies
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
, they couldn't prevent a defeat. In 1944 and 1945,
B-24 long-range bombers
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models de ...
of the
98th Heavy Bomber Group
The 98th Operations Group is a component unit of the Nevada Test and Training Range (military unit), Nevada Test and Training Range, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Combat Command. The group is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Ne ...
attached to the
15th U.S. Army Air Force were based in Lecce, from where the crews flew missions over Italy, the Balkans, Austria, Germany and France.
Main sights
Churches and religious buildings
*
Church of the Holy Cross: Construction of the ''Chiesa di Santa Croce'') was begun in 1353, but work halted until 1549, and it was completed only by 1695. The church has a richly decorated façade with animals, grotesque figures and vegetables, and a large rose window. Next to the church is the Government Palace, a former convent.
*
Lecce Cathedral
Lecce Cathedral ( it, Duomo di Lecce; ''Cattedrale dell'Assunzione della Virgine'') is the cathedral of the city of Lecce in Apulia, Italy, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Lecce.
History
The c ...
: The church was originally built in 1144, rebuilt in 1230, then totally restored in the 1659–70 by
Giuseppe Zimbalo, who also built the five storey high bell tower, with an octagonal
loggia
In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior gallery or corridor, usually on an upper level, but sometimes on the ground level of a building. The outer wall is open to the elements, usually supported by a series of columns ...
.
*
San Niccolò and Cataldo: The church is an example of Italo-Norman architecture. It was founded by
Tancred of Sicily
Tancred ( it, Tancredi; 113820 February 1194) was King of Sicily from 1189 to 1194. He was born in Lecce an illegitimate son of Roger III, Duke of Apulia (the eldest son of King Roger II) by his mistress Emma, a daughter of Achard II, Count o ...
in 1180. In 1716 the façade was rebuilt, with the addition of numerous statues, but maintaining the original
Romanesque portal. The walls were frescoed during the 15th-17th centuries.
* Celestine Convent: Built (1549–1695) in
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
-style by
Giuseppe Zimbalo. The courtyard was designed by
Gabriele Riccardi.
* Santa Irene: This church was commissioned in 1591 by the
Theatines
The Theatines officially named the Congregation of Clerics Regular ( la, Ordo Clericorum Regularium), abreviated CR, is a Catholic order of clerics regular of Pontifical Right for men founded by Archbishop Gian Pietro Carafa in Sept. 14, 1524. I ...
and dedicated to
Saint Irene. The architect was
Francesco Grimaldi). It has a large façade showing different styles in the upper and lower parts. Above the portal stands a statue of ''Ste Irene'' (1717) by Mauro Manieri. The interior is on the Latin cross plan and is rather sober. The main altarpiece is a copy of the ''St
Michael the Archangel
Michael (; he, מִיכָאֵל, lit=Who is like El od, translit=Mīḵāʾēl; el, Μιχαήλ, translit=Mikhaḗl; la, Michahel; ar, ميخائيل ، مِيكَالَ ، ميكائيل, translit=Mīkāʾīl, Mīkāl, Mīkhāʾīl), also ...
'' by
Guido Reni
Guido Reni (; 4 November 1575 – 18 August 1642) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, although his works showed a classical manner, similar to Simon Vouet, Nicolas Poussin, and Philippe de Champaigne. He painted primarily religious ...
. The high altar has a ''Transport of the Holy Ark'' by
Oronzo Tiso Oronzo is an Italian personal name, derived from the Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area ...
. In the right transept is one of the largest altars in Lecce, dedicated to
Saint Cajetan
Gaetano dei Conti di Thiene (6 October 1480 – 7 August 1547), known as Saint Cajetan (), was an Italian Catholic priest and religious reformer, co-founder of the Theatines. He is recognised as a saint in the Catholic Church, and his feast day ...
(1651). Nearby is the
Rococo
Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...
altar of Saint
Andrew Avellino
Andrew (Andrea) Avellino (1521 – 10 November 1608) was an Italian Theatine priest. He is venerated as patron saint of Naples and Sicily and invoked especially against a sudden death. He led a life busy in preaching, hearing confessions, and v ...
. Also from the mid-17th century is the ''Altar of St Orontius'' by
Francesco Antonio Zimbalo, followed by the altar of Saint Irene with a canvas by
Giuseppe Verrio
Giuseppe is the Italian form of the given name Joseph,
from Latin Iōsēphus from Ancient Greek Ἰωσήφ (Iōsḗph), from Hebrew יוסף.
It is the most common name in Italy and is unique (97%) to it.
The feminine form of the name is Giuse ...
(1639), nine busts of saints housing relics and a large statue of the saint. The altar of
Saint Stephen
Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ''Stéphanos'', meaning "wreath, crown" and by extension "reward, honor, renown, fame", often given as a title rather than as a name; c. 5 – c. 34 AD) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first ...
has the ''Stoning of St. Stephen'' by Verrio.
* San Matteo: This church was built in 1667. It has a typical central Italy Baroque style. It has two columns on the façade, only one of which is decorated, though only partially. According to a local legend, the jealous devil killed the sculptor before he could finish the work.
* Santa Maria degli Angeli
* Santa Chiara: This church was built in 1429–1438, rebuilt in 1687.
* San Francesco della Scarpa: Known as the "church without façade" as the latter has been demolished in the 19th century restorations. The most ancient section dates likely to the 13th-14th centuries; the interior is on the Greek Cross plan. Notable are several Baroque altars and a large statue of
Saint Joseph
Joseph (; el, Ἰωσήφ, translit=Ioséph) was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who, according to the canonical Gospels, was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus. The Gospels also name some brothers of ...
.
Other buildings
* Column of statue of St Oronzo: (Lecce's patron) was given to Lecce by the city of
Brindisi
Brindisi ( , ) ; la, Brundisium; grc, Βρεντέσιον, translit=Brentésion; cms, Brunda), group=pron is a city in the region of Apulia in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea.
Histo ...
, because Saint Oronzo was reputed to have cured the plague in Brindisi. The column was one of a pair that marked the end of the
Appian Way
The Appian Way (Latin and Italian language, Italian: ''Via Appia'') is one of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads of the ancient Roman Republic, republic. It connected Rome to Brindisi, in southeast Italy. Its importance is ...
, the main road between
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
and southern Italy.
* Torre del Parco ("Park Tower") is one of the medieval symbols of Lecce. It was erected in 1419 by the then-18 year old
Giovanni Antonio Del Balzo Orsini, prince of Lecce. The tower, standing at more than , is surrounded by a ditch in which bears (the heraldic symbol of the Orsini del Balzo) were reared. The whole complex was the seat of Orsini's tribunal and of a mint, and after Giovanni Antonio's death, it became a residence for the Spanish viceroys.
* Palazzo Sedile: Palace was built in 1592 and was used by the local council until 1852.
*
Castle of Charles V
The Castle of Charles V (Italian: Castello Carlo quinto; Leccese: Castellu Carlu Quintu), also known as the Castello di Lecce, is a castle in Lecce, Italy. It was first built in the Middle Ages, and was strengthened by Charles V in 1539, to a de ...
: built in 1539–49 by Gian Giacomo dell'Acaja. It has a trapezoidal plan with angular bastions. It is attached to the
Politeama Greco Opera House, inaugurated on 15 November 1884.
* Triumphal Arch (''Arco di Trionfo'', commonly called ''Porta Napoli'', "Neapolitan Gate") which is one of the three gates to enter Lecce's historical city centre, erected in 1548 in honor of Charles V. It replaced an older gate, ''Porta S. Giusto'', which, according to tradition, lay over the tomb of the namesake saint. Also built over pre-existing medieval gates are the current ''Porta San Biagio'' ("St. Blaise Gate") and the ''Porta Rudiae'' which are the other two gates to Lecce's Historical city centre. Both are in Baroque style, the latter having the statue of St. Oronzo on the top and mythological figures on the sides.
* Palazzo dei Celestini, now seat of the Province of Lecce. It was built in 1659–95 and designed by
Giuseppe Zimbalo.
* The city's obelisk, erected in 1822 in honour of
Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand I (12 January 1751 – 4 January 1825) was the King of the Two Sicilies from 1816, after his restoration following victory in the Napoleonic Wars. Before that he had been, since 1759, Ferdinand IV of the Kingdom of Naples and Ferdinand I ...
.
File:Lecce01.jpg, City Square
File:Puglia Lecce3 tango7174.jpg, ''Basilica
In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its name ...
di Santa Croce''
File:Puglia Lecce4 tango7174.jpg,
File:Detail santa croce main vault.jpg,
File:Lecce cathedral court 1.jpg, Detail of '' Piazza del Duomo''
File:Teatro Romano (Lecce).jpg,
File:TORRE DEL PARCO - LECCE 2.jpg,
File:PORTA NAPOLI 01.JPG,
File:PORTA RUDIAE 01.JPG,
Gardens and parks
*
Orto Botanico di Lecce Orto may refer to:
* Orto, Corse-du-Sud, a commune on the island of Corsica
* Orto (company)
Orto (also ''Eesti Kirjastus Orto'') was an Estonian publishing company outside Estonia. The company published mainly classical works of Estonian liter ...
, a
botanical garden
A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...
.
Archaeology
* The Roman 2nd century
amphitheatre
An amphitheatre (British English) or amphitheater (American English; both ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ...
, situated near Sant'Oronzo Square, was able to seat more than 25,000 people. It is now half-buried because other monuments were built above it over the centuries. The theatre is currently used for different religious and arts events.
* The archaeological museum ''Sigismondo Castromediano''.
* The archaeological museum ''Faggiano''.
* The archaeological park of
Rudiae
Rudiae (''Rusce'' in the local dialect and Ῥοδίαι in ancient Greek), was a former late 9th or early 8th centuries BCE human settlement. It is presently an archaeological park beside the San Pietro in Lama that runs south-west from the cit ...
, three kilometres south-west of the city but within its limits. The place was identified as the former home of the poet
Ennius
Quintus Ennius (; c. 239 – c. 169 BC) was a writer and poet who lived during the Roman Republic. He is often considered the father of Roman poetry. He was born in the small town of Rudiae, located near modern Lecce, Apulia, (Ancient Calabria, ...
by the
Renaissance Humanist
Renaissance humanism was a revival in the study of classical antiquity, at first in Italy and then spreading across Western Europe in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. During the period, the term ''humanist'' ( it, umanista) referred to teache ...
,
Antonio de Ferraris
Antonio de Ferraris ( la, Antonius de Ferraris, gr, Ἀντώνιος Φεράρις; c. 1444 – 12 November 1517), also known by his epithet Galateo ( la, Galateus, gr, Γαλάτειος), was an Italian scholar, academic, doctor and huma ...
, who was from the region. This was once the more important city until Roman times and has an amphitheatre of its own, a
necropolis
A necropolis (plural necropolises, necropoles, necropoleis, necropoli) is a large, designed cemetery with elaborate tomb monuments. The name stems from the Ancient Greek ''nekropolis'', literally meaning "city of the dead".
The term usually im ...
and remains of substantial walls. The Porta Rudiae, built on the road leading from this site, is named after it.
Geography
Climate
Lecce experiences a
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''Csa'').
Sport
![Via del mare-curva nord](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Via_del_mare-curva_nord.jpg)
Lecce is home to
Serie A
The Serie A (), also called Serie A TIM for national sponsorship with TIM, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and the winner is awarded the Scudetto and the Coppa ...
(the highest football division in Italy) football club
U.S. Lecce
Unione Sportiva Lecce, commonly referred to as Lecce (), is an Italian football club based in Lecce, Apulia. The club play in Serie A in the 2022–23 season, the top level of the Italian football pyramid, having been promoted from Serie B. ...
. Since 1966, they have played at the 33,786-seater
Stadio Via del Mare.
Transportation
Lecce is served by
Lecce railway station. The local public transport includes
trolleybus service, introduced in 2012.
[''Trolleybus Magazine'' No. 302 (March–April 2012), p. 43. National Trolleybus Association (UK). .]
People
![San Filippo Smaldone](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/San_Filippo_Smaldone.jpg)
*
Antonio Amantea (1894–1983), World War I fighter ace
*
Scipione Ammirato
Scipione Ammirato (October 7, 1531January 11, 1601) was an Italian historian and philosopher. He is now regarded as an important founding figure in the scholarly study of the history of philosophy. He is best known for his political treatise '' ...
(1531–1601), historian and philosopher
*
Abraham de Balmes (c. 1450–1523),
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
physician
A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...
and
translator
Translation is the communication of the Meaning (linguistic), meaning of a #Source and target languages, source-language text by means of an Dynamic and formal equivalence, equivalent #Source and target languages, target-language text. The ...
*
Carmelo Bene
Carmelo Pompilio Realino Antonio Bene, known as Carmelo Bene (1 September 1937 – 16 March 2002), was an Italian actor, poet, film director and screenwriter. He was an important exponent of the Italian experimental theatre, avant-garde thea ...
(1937–2002), actor, film director and screenwriter
*
Vittorio Bodini
Vittorio is an Italian male given name which has roots from the Byzantine-Bulgarian name Victor.
People with the given name Vittorio include:
* Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, pretender to the former Kingdom of Italy
* Vittorio Adorni, pro ...
(1914–1970), poet and translator
*
Massimo Bray
Massimo Bray (born 11 April 1959) is an Italians, Italian intellectual and politician, who served as the minister of culture from 28 April 2013 to 22 February 2014.
Early life and education
Bray was born in Lecce on 11 April 1959. He studied phi ...
(born 1959), intellectual, academic publisher and politician, former director of the ''Italian Encyclopaedia of Science, Letters, and Arts'' (
Enciclopedia Treccani
The ''Enciclopedia Italiana di Scienze, Lettere e Arti'' (Italian for "Italian Encyclopedia of Science, Letters, and Arts"), best known as ''Treccani'' for its developer Giovanni Treccani or ''Enciclopedia Italiana'', is an Italian-language en ...
), who served in the government of Italy as Minister of Culture
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Ennio Capasa (born 1960), fashion designer, creator of the Italian fashion house
CoSTUME NATIONAL
Costume National is an Italian fashion house founded in 1986 by Ennio Capasa, creative director, and his brother Carlo, CEO. It has its head office in Milan. The company produces clothing under the brands ''Costume National'', ''Costume National ...
*
Franco Causio
Franco Causio (; born 1 February 1949) is an Italian former professional footballer who won the 1982 FIFA World Cup and played for Juventus for many years in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Regarded as one of Italy's greatest ever wingers, through ...
(born 1949), retired footballer,
1982 FIFA World Cup
The 1982 FIFA World Cup was the 12th FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial Association football, football tournament for men's senior national teams, and was played in Spain between 13 June and 11 July 1982. The tournament was won by Italy national foo ...
winner
*
Antonio Conte
Antonio Conte (; born 31 July 1969) is an Italian professional football manager and former player who is the head coach of Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur.
Playing as a midfielder, Conte began his career at local club Lecce and later ...
(born 1969), retired footballer, former manager of Juventus F.C., Chelsea F.C and
Italian football team
The Italy national football team ( it, Nazionale di calcio dell'Italia) has represented Italy in international football since its first match in 1910. The national team is controlled by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the governing body ...
. Current manager of Tottenham Hotspur.
*
Francesco Danieli Francesco Danieli (1981 in Lecce) is an Italian historian and iconologist.
Life and activities
He is known in the international scene, especially for his work on art and faith in Tridentine Italy and his study on Philip Neri and his aesthetic ex ...
(born 1981), historian and iconologist
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Cosimo De Giorgi
Cosimo De Giorgi or Arcangelo Cosimo De Giorgi (9 February 1842 – 22 December 1922) was an Italian scientist.
Biography Early life and education
Cosimo De Giorgi completed his early studies in Martano, his home town, and then continue them i ...
(1842–1922), scientist
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Ennio De Giorgi (1928–1996), mathematician
*
Cloe Elmo
Cloe (or Cloë) Elmo (April 9, 1910 – May 24, 1962) was an Italian operatic dramatic mezzo-soprano, particularly associated with the Italian repertory.
She was born in Lecce and began singing at an early age. By the age of seventeen, she had ...
(1910–1962), opera singer
*
Quintus Ennius
Quintus Ennius (; c. 239 – c. 169 BC) was a writer and poet who lived during the Roman Republic. He is often considered the father of Roman poetry. He was born in the small town of Rudiae, located near modern Lecce, Apulia, (Ancient Calabria, ...
(c. 239–169 BC), Roman writer and poet
*
Vito Fazzi
Vito Fazzi (1851–1918) was an Italian doctor and politician who lived in Lecce in the second half of the 19th century. His work was fundamental for the construction of the first big modern civil hospital in Lecce.
Biography
Life and personal ...
(1851–1918), physician and hospital founder
*
Barbara Lezzi
Barbara Lezzi (born 24 April 1972 in Lecce) is an Italian politician, who served in the government of Italy as Minister for the South from 1 June 2018 until 5 September 2019.
Biography
Barbara Lezzi was born in Lecce on 24 April 1972. She took ...
(born 1972), politician, who served in the government of Italy as Minister for the South
*
Marco Materazzi
Marco Materazzi (; born 19 August 1973) is an Italian former professional footballer and manager.
Early in his career, Materazzi played with various Italian teams in Serie B and Serie C, and with Everton in the Premier League. He spent two per ...
(born 1973), retired footballer,
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup, also branded as Germany 2006, was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which had won the right to host the ...
winner
*
Michelangelo Schipa
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (; 6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), known as Michelangelo (), was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was ins ...
(1854–1939), writer, historian and scholar
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Tito Schipa
Tito Schipa (; born Raffaele Attilio Amedeo Schipa; 2 January 1889 in Lecce16 December 1965) was an Italian lyric tenor, considered the greatest tenore di grazia and one of the most popular tenors of the century.
Biography
Schipa was born as ...
(1888–1965), tenor
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Filippo Smaldone (1848–1923), Catholic priest and saint
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Antonio Verrio (c. 1636–1707), painter in England
Twin towns – sister cities
Lecce is
twinned with:
[Lecce]
"Gemellaggi"
, 3 November 2011, retrieved 16 August 2014
*
Murcia
Murcia (, , ) is a city in south-eastern Spain, the capital and most populous city of the autonomous community of the Region of Murcia, and the seventh largest city in the country. It has a population of 460,349 inhabitants in 2021 (about one ...
, Spain, since 2004
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Skopje
Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre.
The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; r ...
, North Macedonia, since 2005
*
Ostrów Wielkopolski
Ostrów Wielkopolski () (often abbreviated ''Ostrów Wlkp.'', formerly called simply ''Ostrów'', german: Ostrowo, Latin: ''Ostrovia'') is a city in west-central Poland with 70,982 inhabitants (2021), situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship; ...
, Poland, since 2006
*
Valladolid
Valladolid () is a Municipalities of Spain, municipality in Spain and the primary seat of government and de facto capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castile and León. It is also the capital of the province o ...
, Spain, since 2009
*
Amasya
Amasya () is a city in northern Turkey and is the capital of Amasya Province, in the Black Sea Region. It was called Amaseia or Amasia in antiquity."Amasya" in ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th ...
,
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
See also
*
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lecce
The Archdiocese of Lecce ( la, Archidioecesis Lyciensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Apulia, southern Italy. The diocese has existed since the 11th century. On 28 September 1960, in the bu ...
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Punta San Cataldo di Lecce Lighthouse
Punta San Cataldo di Lecce Lighthouse ( it, Faro di Punta San Cataldo di Lecce) is an active lighthouse located on the eastern point of San Cataldo di Lecce in the Salentine Peninsula from Lecce on the Adriatic Sea.
History
The first plan to b ...
Notes
References
External links
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{{Authority control
Cities and towns in Apulia
Localities of Salento
200s BC establishments