Monastero degli Olivetani, Olivetan monastery in Lecce, Italy

The Monastero degli Olivetani stands next to the church of Santi Niccolò e Cataldo, near Lecce's municipal cemetery. Its 1559 cloister has paired columns and a well under a canopy held by twisted Corinthian columns, built by Gabriele Riccardi. A grand staircase and an external facade were added in 1733.

Count Tancredi d'Altavilla ordered construction of this monastery in 1174 and Black Benedictines initially managed it. Olivetan monks took over the monastery in 1494.

The monastery's name comes from the Olivetan Benedictines, who arrived in Lecce in 1494 and took over the earlier Black Benedictine house. Traces of frescoes depicting episodes of monastic life survive on the walls, and the 1559 cloister with paired columns and the canopy well by Gabriele Riccardi show the community's building patronage.

The monastery now houses the Department of Historical Studies at the University of Salento in restored original spaces. Visitors can explore the structure and view different sections of the complex.

Beneath the complex lies an underground chamber more than 20 meters deep that originally functioned as both a cistern and a nymphaeum. This chamber included a specialized basin for water purification.