Considered the emblem of the highly admired ‘Lecce Baroque,’ the Basilica of Santa Croce is one of the most important churches in the Apulian town of Lecce.  Construction of the Basilica began in 1549 and took more than 100 years to complete, in 1699. Santa Croce was built on the site of a monastery, at the request of the Celestine fathers.

Important local architects, including Gabriele Riccardi, Francesco Antonio Zimbalo and Cesare Penna, contributed to the construction of the church, with the help of master stonecutters and carvers, also from the Lecce area. As typical of Baroque style, the facade is richly decorated, with six columns supporting an entablature, with animals, grotesque figures and vegetables; it also features a large rose window.