This 12th-century cathedral was substantially remodelled after an earthquake in 1743. You can see how the original Romanesque structure may have looked by studying the nearby Porta dei Cavalieri Templari, a fanciful portico with pointy arches – all that remains of a medieval Knights Templar church that once also stood here.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
23.08 MILES
It seems that hallucinating stonemasons have been at work on the basilica. Sheep, dodos, cherubs and beasties writhe across the facade, a swirling…
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23.33 MILES
Descend through Lecce's rich historical strata in this fascinating home-turned-museum, where sewerage excavations led to the chance discovery of an…
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Tempio di San Giovanni al Sepolcro
0.13 MILES
This 12th-century church, a brown bulk of Norman stone conforming to the circular plan the Templars so loved, is a wonderfully evocative structure,…
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23.15 MILES
Giuseppe Zimbalo's 1659 reconstruction of Lecce's original 12th-century cathedral is recognised as being among his finest work. Zimbalo, Lecce's famous…
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23.07 MILES
This fascinating museum outlines the Jewish history of Lecce and the greater Salento region. Entry is by 30-minute guided tour only, running every 45…
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Chiesa dei Santi Nicolò e Cataldo
22.39 MILES
The beautiful church of Saints Nicolò and Cataldo, located in the monumental cemetery outside the city walls, was built by the Normans in 1180. It got…
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23.19 MILES
The beautifully restored 15th-century Monastery of Santa Chiara houses this civic museum and gallery, and has a great view of the Roman theatre from the…
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23.2 MILES
A notable 15th-century church given a baroque makeover between 1687 and 1691, Santa Chiara is one of the most important and admired churches in Lecce…
Nearby Brindisi attractions
1. Museo Archeologico Provinciale Ribezzo
0.02 MILES
This superb museum covers several floors with well-documented exhibits (in English), including some 3000 bronze sculptures and fragments in Hellenistic…
2. Porta dei Cavalieri Templari
0.02 MILES
After the Romans, the next big event to hit Brindisi was the Crusades during the 12th and 13th centuries. The Porta dei Cavalieri Templari, an exotic…
0.08 MILES
This 16th-century Renaissance-style palace is named for the two different families who owned it. The building is of interest because it houses the huge…
0.09 MILES
The gleaming white column above a sweeping set of sun-whitened stairs leading to the waterfront promenade marks the terminus of the Roman Via Appia at…
5. Tempio di San Giovanni al Sepolcro
0.13 MILES
This 12th-century church, a brown bulk of Norman stone conforming to the circular plan the Templars so loved, is a wonderfully evocative structure,…
20.3 MILES
Dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Ostuni's dramatic 15th-century cathedral has an unusual Gothic-Romanesque-Byzantine facade with a frilly…
7. Museo di Civiltà Preclassiche della Murgia
20.32 MILES
Located in the Convento delle Monacelle, the museum's most famous exhibit is Delia, a 25,000-year-old expectant mother. Pregnant at the time of her death,…
8. Parco Archeologico e Naturale di Arignano
21.71 MILES
Many of the finds at Ostuni's Museo di Civiltà Preclassiche della Murgia come from this cave and Palaeolithic burial ground, which doesn't offer much in…