The Roman Town of Lecce

Descrizione del Tour

A guided tour of the historic center of Lecce in search of the evidence of its ancient past. An itinerary that goes back in the time of 2500 years to reconstruct the history of Lecce from the Messapian age, period to which go back the imposing fortifications of IV century B.C. and the numerous tombs found in the area of the town, up to the events of Lupiae, the Roman city. A story that sheds light on the great excavation campaigns conducted at the beginning of the twentieth century and that have made it possible to discover the two monumental public buildings: the Amphitheatre and the Theatre, both dating back to the Augustan age. The most recent investigations of urban archaeology have brought further information useful to reconstruct the aspect of the Roman city. During the Republican era, the 'Trapetum', a complex destined to the production of olive oil, remains in Piazzetta Castromediano. A short distance from this a stretch of paved Roman road and in the current Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II the Baths of the city. Not far from the Capitolium, in the Forum of the ancient Lupiae traditionally located in the area of the current Piazza Duomo, there was another important temple dedicated to the eastern goddess Isis. Of the sanctuary, found under the sixteenth-century Palazzo Vernazza, archaeological excavations have identified the remains of the porch, a statue, some objects that adorned the temple and the 'Purgatorium', a pool dug into the rock bank where the faithful immersed themselves for the rites of purification. WHAT WE WILL VISIT Piazza Sant'Oronzo (Roman Amphitheatre and Column of Sant'Oronzo) Roman baths in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II Roman Theatre Temple of Isis at Palazzo Vernazza Piazza Duomo Roman road Trapetum INFO Possibility of extra entrance to Palazzo Vernazza Skip the line for the ticket office by booking your guided tour with us MEETING POINT WITH THE GUIDE Piazza Sant'Oronzo, Lecce DURATION 2 hours