Santa Maria della Purità, Baroque church in Gallipoli, Italy.
Santa Maria della Purità is a baroque church in the old town of Gallipoli, in southern Puglia, built with a single nave in light-colored stone. The ceilings and walls are covered with frescoes and stucco work that fill every surface of the interior.
A brotherhood of fishermen and sailors began building this church in 1662, on their own initiative and without outside funding. Over the following decades, baroque decorative elements were added, giving the interior the appearance it has today.
The name of the church refers to the purity of Mary, pointing to a long tradition of Marian devotion in this coastal town. Inside, paintings and sculptures by southern Italian artists line the walls and altars, showing religious scenes in close detail.
The church sits in the historic center of Gallipoli and can be reached on foot from most points in the old town. Visiting during the day is a good idea, as natural light coming through the windows makes the frescoes and stucco work easier to see.
The church was built by a brotherhood of working people, not funded by a religious institution or a wealthy patron. This makes it a rare example of a place of worship that grew entirely out of a community project by tradespeople and sailors.
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