|
The Marquis
Palace was built in the 17th century by the Erriquez on a
pre-existing structure built in
1220
by Frederic II of Swabian. The palace has fine baroque decorations and has the
coat of arms of the Erriquez on the portal. The Mother church is dedicated to
Our Lady of the Graces, it is in baroque style and dates to the 16th
century. The façade has a beautiful portal by Ambrogio Martinelli and a
beautiful rose-window. It has a Latin Cross plan, a nave and two aisles, some
beautiful baroque altars, an image of the Virgin with the Child, a wooden pulpit
and the sepulchral monument of the Maremontis. The Church of St Oronzo was built
between 1662 and 1670. The façade has a portal and a wide window. It is
aisleless and has a beautiful painting of the saint on the high altar. The
Sanctuary of St Pompilio was built according to the will of the Erriquez. It is
now an aisleless church
with beautiful decorations. The bones of the saint are cherished in his
sanctuary. The Convent of the Scolopi Fathers is next to the church. It has a
big library with some very old books. The Convent of the Capuchin Friars was
built in the 17th century and the Carmelite Friars were there at the
beginning. Later it became a jail and hospital. Its cloister is very
interesting. The Church of St Joseph has replaced the Church of St Biagio. It
dates to the 17th century and is very simple. The Church of Our Lady
of the Wood has a very linear design and inside has a fresco of the Virgin. The
Church of Our Lady of the High is in the countryside near the rests of the
Casale Bagnara. The façade has a very simple portal and a beautiful rose-window.
The church has a nave and two aisles but is not in the best conditions. The
patron saint of Campi is St Oronzo and the population celebrates him on the
first Sunday of September.
The people of
Campi Salentina have two nicknames: “ventri janchi” (white bellies like the
donkeys)
and
“babbi te Campie” (those stupid people of Campi). The first nickname tells us
that the people of Campi are donkeys but not in the worst sense because this
nickname means that they are good and strong workers. The second nickname refers
to a wicked legend that was probably invented by the people of the neighbouring
countries. The bell tower collapsed in 1792 because of a lightning but the
legend tells us something else. There was some grass on the walls on the bell
tower and the people of Campi decided that the best way to remove that grass was
… to send a donkey on the bell tower! This is how the wicked neighbours think
that the bell tower came to collapse.
|