Visit to the Augustinian complex

For those arriving in Lecce from the direction of Brindisi, the glimpse is remarkable. On the right, the ancient Mura Urbiche. On the left, the Augustinian complex with the 17th-century church of Santa Maria di Ognibene. The name comes from the time when it was surrounded by a large ficheto and several pomegranate and citrus trees, and there was no shortage of other types of plants: vines, oaks and cypresses. A garden that, at least in part, today has been restored to its original beauty and becomes a green promenade in the middle of the city. The monastic complex is open and can be visited freely every day: the beautiful garden that precedes the entrance to the airy cloister and the church, though stripped of its decorations and furnishings over the centuries, have not lost their ancient and majestic charm. The church in particular, in its essentiality given to it by its beautiful symmetry, showcases the single, Latin-crossed nave and the various altars, some from the Baroque period and others of 19th-century matrix.

It is possible to visit the Augustinian complex daily, including Sundays, from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.