| The present church dedicated to San Domenico was erected between 1745 and 1750 after the previous church dedicated to San Pietro Martire was knocked down. The project was assigned to the Domenican fra’ Antonio Cantalupi. The façade is surely the most outstanding example of Martina’s Baroque, very similar to the one from Lecce, because of the meticulous monumental decoration which towers over every detail. An affinity in this sense is provided by the capitals whose sirens enveloped by acanthus’ leafs and fruits’ festoons remind very much of those of the Palazzo del Seminario in Lecce. The Baroque’ creativity is clearly visible on the whole elevation. The portal is characterized by an elegant moulding topped by the order's coat of arms, whose apotheosis is glorified by two playing puttos. Not to be missed are also the great window embellished by a chubby cherub, which is the worthy replacement of the rose existing in the Romanesque Baroque churches, and the fragmented spandrel with curled volutes.
The internal plan of the church is marked by a false Latin cross with just a hinted transept. Inside the church not to be missed are the canvasses of the Madonna del Rosario con Santi (1762) signed by Domenico Carella, Nicola Gliri, Pietro De Mauro and a crucifix by Riccardo Brudaglio. The dome is fully decorated by a tempera painting depicting the propitiatory intervention of the Madonna del Rosario during the battle of Lepanto.
On one side of the church stands the convent which hosted the Dominican friars, the first monastic order to come to Martina Franca. |