Lecce
Lecce
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| Comune di Lecce | |
Clockwise from top: Church of Santa Croce; Roman Amphitheatre; Lecce Cathedral ("Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta"); the cathedral's bell tower; and Porta Rudiae | |
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Flag Coat of arms | |
Lecce Location of Lecce in Italy Lecce Lecce (Apulia) | |
| Coordinates: 40°21′N 18°10′E / 40.350°N 18.167°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Apulia |
| Province | Lecce (LE) |
| Founded | 200s BC |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Adriana Poli Bortone |
| Area | |
• Total | 238 km2 (92 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 49 m (161 ft) |
| Population (01-1-2023) | |
• Total | 94,783 |
| • Density | 398/km2 (1,030/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Leccese |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 73100 |
| Dialing code | 0832 |
| Patron saint | Orontius |
| Website | www |
Lecce (/ˈlɛtʃeɪ/ LETCH-ay, Italian: [ˈlettʃe] ⓘ) is a comune and a city in the southern italian region of Apulia, and capital of the province of Lecce. It is on the Salentine Peninsula, at the heel of the Italian Peninsula.
Because of its rich Baroque architecture, Lecce is nicknamed "The Florence of the South". "Lecce stone", a particular kind of limestone, is one of the main exports of the city. It is very soft and workable, thus suitable for sculptures. As well as being an industrial centre specializing in ceramics, Lecce is also an important agricultural centre, chiefly for its olive oil and wine production.
Lecce is home to the University of Salento.