Galatina: Baroque, San Paolo and Pasticciotto

Galatina’s historic centre: Baroque, access points and local tradition

Galatina preserves visible traces of Baroque art and culture in its historic centre. Basalt-paved streets lead to squares, courtyards and palaces. Porta Luce, Porta Nuova and Porta dei Cappuccini have different names but all lead into the same historic centre. For orientation in the town centre, this results in a specific sequence: enter through one of the three gates, then follow the streets to squares, courtyards and palaces.

Church of Saints Peter and Paul: Construction and furnishings

At the heart of the historic Baroque district stands the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, with its original basalt paving. The building is made of Lecce stone, has a Rococo façade and preserves frescoes inside. The sacred furnishings include polychrome marble altars, including the Cappellone del Sacramento, which dates from the second half of the 17th century. Saints Peter and Paul link the church to the festival held from 28 June to 30 June.

San Paolo: Chapel, fountain and tradition

The Cappella di San Paolo is located near the church. The Church of Saints Peter and Paul is late Baroque, while the Cappella di San Paolo is ancient. According to legend, its fountain is associated with the healing of women who had been bitten by tarantulas. In the chapel, those who had been healed gave thanks to Saint Paul.

Museum and library: Works and collections

The town museum preserves more than forty works and was reopened to the public in the 2000s. It is located on the first floor of the Palazzo della Cultura Zeffirino Rizzelli, a former Dominican monastery. The Biblioteca Pietro Siciliani preserves around 60,000 documentary and multimedia items. Its Sala Rari contains the historical collection and the manuscript collection. The two institutions therefore preserve different types of holdings: the museum, works; the library, documentary, multimedia and manuscript collections.

Festivities and Pasticciotto in Galatina

The festival of Saints Peter and Paul is celebrated from 28 to 30 June. The festivities include illuminations, tasting stalls, markets, performances with folk music and folk dancing, and fireworks. The three festival days combine religious tradition with culinary and public events. For scheduling purposes, the festival therefore takes place over three consecutive days at the end of June.

According to legend and local tradition, Pasticciotto was created in 1745 in Galatina at the Ascalone family pastry shop during the celebrations of San Paolo. San Paolo thus appears both in the name of the festival and in the origin story of Pasticciotto.

Teatro Cavallino Bianco and 20th-century architecture

Teatro Cavallino Bianco is also part of the architectural diversity. It is an example of 20th-century architecture in the centre of Galatina. Its classification as 20th-century architecture therefore establishes a different chronological reference from the late Baroque church.

Further destinations: Tricase Porto, Cannole, Marina di Marittima, Conca Specchiulla, Campi Salentina, Diso, Marina Di Andrano, Merine

To the main travel overview: Lecce.