Roman Theatre of Lecce, Roman theatre in historic center of Lecce, Italy

The Roman Theatre of Lecce is an ancient structure in the historic center of the city, with curved stone seating rows arranged in a semicircle facing a stage area. Only part of the original theatre has been uncovered so far, and sections of it still lie beneath the surrounding buildings.

The theatre was built in the 1st century AD, when the city was called Lupiae and was one of the more notable towns of Roman Apulia. Over the following centuries it was gradually covered by later construction and forgotten until it was accidentally rediscovered in the 20th century.

The theatre is named after Lupiae, the Roman town that preceded Lecce, and it was probably commissioned by Augustus after he found refuge there. Today it hosts frequent performances, so the cavea can be entered during shows; otherwise it is viewed from outside. Finds from the site, including clay balteus fragments and marble statues, are kept in the adjacent museum.

The site is easy to reach on foot from the main streets of the old town, as it sits in the heart of Lecce's historic center. Because only part of the theatre is open and excavated, it helps to take a slow walk around the perimeter to see the different sections.

A large part of the original structure remains buried beneath private buildings and public streets that were never removed after the 1929 discovery. What visitors see today is only a fraction of what the theatre once was in its full form.