The Crypt of Sant’Onofrio

Just outside the historic centre of Castrignano de’ Greci, the Byzantine Crypt of Sant’Onofrio, drawing its name from an hermit monk from Egypt, is the town’s most ancient place of worship. Dating from the 6th century, it was walled in the 19th century and brought back to light during the excavations of 1965.

Dug into bare rock, the crypt consists of two chambers which are accessed through two flights of converging stairs leading into the larger chamber whose vault is supported by 18 pillars in Lecce stone. The altar is carved out of a stone block while on the walls are still visible traces of frescoes.

Behind the altar are two openings that lead into the second chamber, which presents an opening on the vault thought to have been an ancient entrance. On one side, embedded in the rock, is the holy water font on which is carved a date in Greek letters IBYZ (1275).

The first tests conducted in order to locate the exact location of the crypt, brought to light Basilian tombs containing human skeletons and several grain containers, called ‘’granili’’.