| The Church of San Carlo Borromeo was built by Fabrizio Guarino during the 17th century, as fulfilment of a vow that the nobleman, when ill, had made to Saint Carlo.
The church was built on a simple rectangular plan with a graceful bell tower at one side (containing two bells).
The plain façade is enriched with a beautiful archway made out of “Leccese” stone with geometric and floral decorations, surmounted by a large oval window which lets light into the church.
On the entrance a Latin inscription admonishes: “he who enters without sin and who behaves righteously will be saved”
Originally the church had only one nave, with three chapels on each side.
A side nave was added soon after on the right, at the same time as the chapel dedicated to the Annunciation was built.
Other restoration work was needed just a few decades later (1771), when the bell tower built by Guarino collapsed, causing a great deal of damage to the building.
Inside there are still some richly decorated altars. On the left wall there are three wall aedicule or niches dedicated to the Madonna of the Rosary, to Saint Carlo and to the Virgin Mary.
In the centre of the wall is the altar of Madonna del Carmine dated 1881.
In the sacristy there is a stone washbasin from 1779, two papier-mâché statues, Madonna dei Fiori and Christ Arisen, and two wooden statues, the Virgin Mary and the Madonna of the Rosary; the latter is 18th century. |