Lecce stone
A stone rich in history, art and tradition.
Origins
Pietra Leccese is a limestone rock that dates back to the Miocene period (about 23 million years ago). It is a stone existing in the Salento area, widely used for its ease of processing.
Features
Pietra Leccese can be white, straw yellow and gray in color. It emerges from the ground and is extracted from open quarries, in blocks of various sizes.
Uses
It is used in construction and architecture for coverings, frames, capitals, fireplaces, statues and objects in general. The use made in the period of the "Barocco Leccese" is typical.
«Neglette, e quasi molli in ampia massa,
le pietre a Lecce crea l'alma Natura:
ma poiché son rescise, in loro passa
virtute, che le pregia, e che l'indura:
mirabili a vederle, ò se vi si lassa
scelti lavor la dedala scultura,
ò se ne fanno i dorici Architetti
gran frontespitij con superbi aspetti.»