The birth of the art "barocca" in Lecce happens in a precise historical moment: beginning from 1571 when, thank the Lepanto's battle, it comes removed in order always the threat of the Turkish invasions.

Lecce, which till the end of the 1500 represented only a small fortified city, characterized from the immense presence of the Castle of Carl V, it is developed without warning. It was from the religious authorities, to begin from bishop Luigi Pappacoda, that a strong impulse reached the construction of the buildings and the monuments that, nell' arc nearly two hundred years, have made of Lecce an elegant city.

This new style, in a first moment it came only used from the sacred buildings and noble, but, afterwards, this strong artistic movement characterized by floreals reasons, mytologicals figures, animals, and coats of arms, prevails also in private architecture, on the facades, the balconies and the portals of the buildings.

 The most important buildings of the "barocco leccese" are the "basilica di Santa Croce" (1548-1646) and the "Palazzo del Governo" - 1600; piazza del Duomo (1659-1670) and the "Seminario" (1694-1709), in whose courtyard is conserved a sink from the rich ornament of scolpture, work of Giuseppe Cino and "le chiese di Sant'Irene, Santa Chiara, San Matteo and San Giovanni Battista".

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