Chiesa di Sant'Irene

The Church was built from 1591 to a design by Francesco Grimaldi and was completed in 1639, the year of the consecration by Bishop of Brindisi. The Church went through important historical events: in 1797 was visited by King Ferdinand IV of Bourbon; in October 1860 it housed the operations of plebiscite to decide the cause of Lecce to enter the Kingdom of Italy. The building refers to the model of the Church of St. Andrea della Valle in Rome, where the same Grimaldi has worked. The facade is made up of a plant to double order pilasters superimposed linked by festoons. The columns are spaced by empty niches in the lower order and higher order cartouches and a large window. The central space welcomes a portal surmounted by the stone statue of St. Irene, by Mauro Manieri of 1717. Above the string course stands the coat of arms of the city of Lecce. The facade is crowned by a triangular pediment bearing the insignia of the Theatines order. The interior has a Latin cross plan, with a nave open to the sides of three deep chapels communicating with each other and characterized by elliptical domes.

(Wikipedia)