Lecce, Apulia
Late afternoon view over the roofs of the baroque town. The high tower is the Campanile of the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta. The legendary foundation of Lecce dates back to 1211 B. C., followed by conquests, ascents and downfalls. It began to flourish in 1550 under the reign of Charles V of the Habsburg dynasty, who had the city developed into a heavily fortified administrative centre. For many buildings, the tufa of the surrounding area, which was easy to work with, was used, stimulating the sculptors to create rich and playful decorations of the building, the Baroque Leccesian style.