L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 18 L'Italo-Americano ry, features pietra Leccese prominently and proves that the stone can still adapt to new forms and settings. Contemporary artists and d e s i g n e r s h a v e a l s o embraced pietra Leccese as a m a t e r i a l f o r s c u l p t u r e , interior design, and even fashion-related installations, with Renzo Buttazzo, a sculptor and designer from L e c c e w h o s e s t u d i o p r o - duces furniture, lighting fix- tures, and art pieces crafted entirely from pietra Leccese, b e i n g p e r h a p s , t h e m o s t notable among them. His work combines minimalistic m o d e r n l i n e s w i t h t h e organic warmth of the stone, a n d h i s p i e c e s h a v e b e e n c o m m i s s i o n e d b y b r a n d s like Armani, Louis Vuitton, and even filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola for his south- e r n I t a l i a n p r o p e r t i e s . Another well-known name is Ugo La Pietra, an architect a n d d e s i g n e r w h o h a s explored the cultural sym- bolism of pietra Leccese in his work, using it to create e v e r y d a y o b j e c t s a b l e t o reflect the identity of Salento and its people. These contemporary uses not only extend the life of the stone as a material but balo, the basilica's façade is a masterpiece of sculptural excess, with a rose window, angels, and beasts all carved from the local stone. The L e c c e C a t h e d r a l , t h e Church of San Matteo, and countless palazzi and cloisters across the historic center all bear the hallmark o f t h e s t o n e , a s d o r u r a l chapels and convents scat- tered through the Salento countryside. But, while Pietra Leccese is undeniably a cornerstone of Lecce's architectural his- tory, it is far from being a relic of the past: the stone continues to be quarried and used today, both for restora- tion and for new construc- tion that respects the local a e s t h e t i c . C o n s e r v a t i o n efforts throughout Lecce and nearby towns ensure that b u i l d i n g s m a d e w i t h t h e stone are carefully main- tained, and traditional tech- niques keeps on being used t o r e s t o r e t h e m . M o d e r n architects working in Lecce integrate pietra Leccese into contemporary designs, too, blending old and new in cre- ative ways. For instance, the Church of San Giovanni Bat- tista in the Stadio district, built in the late 20th centu- also keep alive its role as a m e d i u m o f a r t i s t i c a n d r e g i o n a l e x p r e s s i o n : f a r from being limited to archi- tecture, this beautiful stone now lives on in sculpture parks, galleries, and design fairs around the world. If we want to be honest – a n d a t a d r o m a n t i c – w e s h o u l d a d m i t t h a t p i e t r a Leccese is not just Lecce's stone, it's its soul, because it d e f i n e s h o w L e c c e l o o k s , how it feels, and even how it tells its stories, as much as its narrow streets and sun- soaked piazzas. If you are in Lecce when the sun shines, it's impossible to shake off t h e f e e l i n g o f w a l k i n g through light and gold, a f e e l i n g q u i t e d i f f i c u l t t o replicate in other parts of Italy: and it's all thanks to pietra Leccese. It's not a case that Lecce is universally known as "The Florence of the South," a comparison rooted not only in the richness of its history and art, but also in the ele- g a n c e a n d h a r m o n y t h i s rare, beautiful stone gave to its architecture. Its soft, golden hues mirror the sun- light and sea breeze of the region, transforming Lecce in the most alive of places. medieval structures in the region also feature the stone i n t h e i r f o u n d a t i o n s a n d walls, however it was during the height of the Baroque period that it became syn- o n y m o u s w i t h L e c c e ' s cityscape. In the 1600s and 1700s, the city experienced a b u i l d i n g b o o m , p a r t i a l l y fueled by local prosperity and the desire of religious orders and aristocratic fami- l i e s t o d i s p l a y w e a l t h through architecture. This is how pietra Leccese became the material of choice for a new wave of architects and artisans who were embrac- ing the flamboyant curves, exaggerated decoration, and theatricality of the Baroque style. Its softness enabled i n c r e d i b l y d e t a i l e d s t o n e w o r k l i k e c h e r u b s , grotesques, garlands, floral spirals, and coats of arms, while its warm tone empha- s i z e d a n d r e f l e c t e d t h e intense sunlight of southern Italy, giving buildings an almost luminous appear- ance. The Basilica di Santa Croce is perhaps the most famous example of Pietra L e c c e s e ' s p o t e n t i a l : designed in part by the local architect Giuseppe Zim- P ietra Leccese is a type of lime- stone, known for being the warm, malleable stone t h a t g a v e L e c c e – o n e o f Italy's most visually distinc- tive cities – its unique archi- tectural personality. Found only in a small area of south- ern Italy's Salento penin- sula, this creamy, golden- h u e d s t o n e w a s t h e t r u e lifeblood of construction in the region, particularly dur- ing the 17th and 18th cen- turies when Lecce emerged a s a s o u t h e r n c a p i t a l o f B a r o q u e a r c h i t e c t u r e . Easily carved yet remarkably resilient, pietra Leccese has been both a practical build- ing material and an artistic medium for centuries, and its legacy is very much alive today. G e o l o g i c a l l y s p e a k i n g , p i e t r a L e c c e s e i s a f i n e - g r a i n e d l i m e s t o n e t h a t formed during the Miocene e p o c h , b e t w e e n 2 3 a n d 5 million years ago. It originat- ed from the accumulation of marine sediments, compact- ed over time into a soft yet durable stone rich in calcium carbonate and studded with microfossils. These marine origins explain not only its p a l e c o l o r , w h i c h r a n g e s from ivory to golden ochre, but also its smooth texture, w h i c h m a k e s i t i d e a l f o r sculpture and detailed archi- tectural carvings. T h e m a i n q u a r r i e s o f pietra Leccese are concen- trated around several towns in the Lecce province, such a s C u r s i , M e l p i g n a n o , Maglie, and Cavallino. The stone is still extracted from o p e n - a i r p i t s t o d a y a n d remains an integral part of both local industry and cul- t u r a l i d e n t i t y . D u e t o i t s unique geological makeup, the stone is soft enough to shape with hand tools when freshly cut but hardens upon exposure to air, making it well suited for both structur- al and ornamental use. The earliest known uses of pietra Leccese date back to Roman times, and some LUCA SIGNORINI Carved from history: pietra leccese and the essence of baroque Puglia Sculptures on the façade of the Castello di Acquaviva, in Nardò (Lecce) (Photo: Alex_Mastro/Shutterstock) LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE TRADITIONS

• Cover