Carpignano Salentino

Carpignano Salentino, a village in the heart of the Grecìa Salentina region, bears traces and traditions of these Hellenic origins: in the Griko dialect, for example, but also in some very special architecture. Of these, the most striking is certainly the Crypt of Santa Cristina: located in a system of cave dwellings dating back to the rock civilisation, the crypt is one of the oldest places of worship in Apulia and is a precious testimony to the Greek rite. Entirely dug out of the rock, it has a splendid, small Baroque façade and houses the oldest frescoes inside of which the names of painters and patrons are known with certainty, as well as the dates when they were painted. The historical centre, on the other hand, surrounded by the remains of the medieval walls, enchants with the beauty of the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, the Clock Tower and the elegant Chiesa Matrice dell'Assunta, with its Lecce stone façade and Baroque interior.