Palazzo dei Celestini (Palace of the Celestines), Lecce

The Palace of the Celestines (Palazzo dei Celestini) was a convent of the Celestine fathers. In 1807, during the Napoleonic occupation of Lecce, the fathers were evicted and suppressed, and the convent was put to other uses. It is now known as the Government Palace (Palazzo del Governo). The Fathers had occupied the palace for three centuries.

Gualtieri VI of Brienne, Count of Lecce, and Duke of Athens established the monastery in 1352. In 1549, as Charles V was expanding the walls and building new fortresses, the original convent was demolished and the Celestines were moved to the current palace. Architect Gabriele Riccardi started the project.

It was finished a century later by architect Giuseppe Zimbalo. Zimbalo wanted the convent to blend with the facade of the Basilica of the Holy Cross, which he had just finished. The convent has a Baroque ashlar facade. There are lanceolate points in the window pediments and cornice friezes. Work began in 1659 and ended in 1695.

The luxurious Palace of the Celestines and a favorite Angevin Castle are now the home of the Prefecture of the Province of Lecce.