Fodor's Expert Review Duomo
Dominating a vast square concealed by a maze of alleyways, Lecce's magnificent cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta never fails to take visitors by surprise. The goal when building the 17th-century structure was to stun the faithful with a vision of opulence and power. Its sheer theatricality still leaves viewers open-mouthed, especially at night when the entire piazza is illuminated like a stage set. Constructed in rosy local stone, the church is flanked by the ornate Bishops' Palace (1694), the seminary, whose first-floor Museum of Sacred Art (MuDAS) displays curious wooden and papier-mâché sculptures alongside brooding Caravaggio-esque paintings of the "Neapolitan School." Adding to this melodious architectural scene is the 236-foot-high bell tower, which dominates the centro storico skyline. Tickets must be booked at chieselecce.it; purchase a LeccEcclesiae ticket (valid for 15 days) to see the Duomo and crypt, MuDAS, Churches of San Matteo and Santa Chiara, and... READ MORE
Dominating a vast square concealed by a maze of alleyways, Lecce's magnificent cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta never fails to take visitors by surprise. The goal when building the 17th-century structure was to stun the faithful with a vision of opulence and power. Its sheer theatricality still leaves viewers open-mouthed, especially at night when the entire piazza is illuminated like a stage set. Constructed in rosy local stone, the church is flanked by the ornate Bishops' Palace (1694), the seminary, whose first-floor Museum of Sacred Art (MuDAS) displays curious wooden and papier-mâché sculptures alongside brooding Caravaggio-esque paintings of the "Neapolitan School." Adding to this melodious architectural scene is the 236-foot-high bell tower, which dominates the centro storico skyline. Tickets must be booked at chieselecce.it; purchase a LeccEcclesiae ticket (valid for 15 days) to see the Duomo and crypt, MuDAS, Churches of San Matteo and Santa Chiara, and the Basilica of Santa Croce.
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