Basilica del Rosario

"Nestled on Via Libertini in the historic center of Lecce is the Basilica del Rosario, also known as the Church of San Giovanni Battista and built by the Dominicans, rising above the previous medieval chapel of San Giovanni d'Aymo.\n\nBegun in the fourteenth century and completed in 1728, the church is the last building created by Giuseppe Zimbalo, the celebrated architect and stonemason, known as lo Zingarello. The artist, who died in 1710, is buried inside as a financier of the church, which is considered the worthy culmination of his entire artistic output.\n\nThe facade, enriched by a magnificent portal featuring the statue of San Domenico di Guzman, recalls the Basilica di Santa Croce and is divided into two sections by a balustrade that houses the statue of the Virgin. Inside the church, particular attention should be paid to the pulpit made of local stone, unique of its kind in Lecce.\n\nAdjacent to the religious structure is the former Dominican Convent. In 1807, with the suppression of religious orders, the convent was occupied by the headquarters of the Tobacco Factory and later by the Academy of Fine Arts."