Built at the end of the 19th century, Dimora Muratore is an elegant Villa located in the heart of Lecce, just a few steps from the Cathedral. An eclectic building that has been recently renovated, it stands on the city's original 16th-century city walls.

Dimora Muratore is enveloped in a sort of verdant embrace by a magnificent hanging garden of approximately one thousand square metres that scales the walls by means of two elegant and winding flights of steps, adorned with columns, that lead up to the two main entrances. It is a truly unique garden, with its combination of terracing, dry stone walls and centuries-old trees, some of which are now endangered, such as the jacaranda, the evergreen ‘falso pepe’ or Schinus molle tree (also known as pink pepper), ginkgo biloba and European Nettle tree (or ‘millicucco’), as well as various varieties of bamboo and palm trees, fragrant citrus trees, pomegranates, colourful bougainvillea and wild caper bushes.

Every room on the main ‘piano nobile’ floor of the Villa is embellished with splendid mosaic floors, expertly handcrafted by the Peluso brothers, renowned mosaic artists who, until the 1940s, designed many floor layouts in different Palazzos, villas and noble residences in the Salento area, as well as in many churches, chapels and public buildings. Of the series of frescoes by Domenico Abbracciavento, which originally decorated all the vaults of the residence, only the one in one of the drawing rooms remains today and is in excellent condition following restoration work carried out on it.

Owned by the Muratore family for generations, the Dimora has been patiently restored with a careful eye to fully respect the past but at the same time include touches of innovation, resulting in a blend of modern antiques, art deco and original design objects, all the result of meticulous research by the owners, which harmonise beautifully with the Villa's architecture.

The entire ground floor, beautifully decorated with contemporary mosaic tiling inspired by the same ancient techniques as the flooring to be found on the upper floor, has been transformed into a Relais, in the form of three elegant, ultra-comfortable rooms, each characterised by traditional arched vaults. Guests can therefore experience and enjoy the full beauty of the residence and the scenery in which it is immersed first-hand.

The bedrooms, which each have a private bathroom with chromotherapy showers and a reserved garden area, open onto the central reception hall of the Villa and are tastefully furnished with every kind of modern comfort (air conditioning with temperature control, Wi-Fi internet, minibar, flat-screen TV, kettle, complimentary range of bath/shower products, towels, linen, etc), with all the amenities available in the most exclusive of hotels, yet located in an oasis of total privacy and tranquillity.

A copious, traditional style breakfast is served in the bright central hall or, upon request, in the guests' private garden area.

Visitors staying at the Relais can also pamper themselves by spending time and indulging in the immersive relaxing atmosphere of the enchanting, colourful ‘Hammam’ – relaxation at its very best.

In a nutshell, Dimore Muratore is a captivating, exclusive retreat that takes the breath away, enabling guests to enjoy a unique holiday experience and recharge their batteries, while rediscovering the beauty of silence.

THE HISTORY OF DIMORA MURATORE

HISTORICAL ORIGINS

Lecce has a distinctive architectural style that is so unique and personal that it has become known as ‘Barocco Leccese’ (Lecce Baroque). Its distinguishing features are characterised by the ancient origins of the city of Lecce associated with the ancient indigenous people known as the Messapians, archaeological remains dating back to the period of Roman domination, together with testimonies and works of art from that era, and references to the medieval and Renaissance periods, all coming together with the richness and exuberance of the Italian Baroque style.

ARCHITECTURE

This architectural style, which became widespread in Lecce in the 17th century during the Spanish domination, quickly took the place of classical art, creating a style that allowed for imagination and creativity, thanks in part also to the use of ‘pietra leccese’ (or Lecce stone), a common, locally found limestone with a soft and compact texture and warm, golden hues, which lends itself very well to working with and shaping stone.

DIMORA MURATORE

Dimora Muratore was built at the end of the 19th century in the heart of this unique setting at the behest of landowner Rocco Chillino. It stands on the 16th-century walls of the city of Lecce, and indeed a remarkable and rare testimony of the original city walls dating back to the distant Messapian and Roman periods is scrupulously preserved on the ground floor of the Villa. Every room on the main ‘piano nobile’ floor of the residence is adorned with an extremely long series of ‘tesserae’ mosaics, providing a sort of carpet all along the splendid flooring. They were crafted using ancient techniques, now almost lost, by renowned brothers Michele and Giuseppe Peluso, who belonged to a family of well-known mosaic artists from Tricase, and were active between the 19th and 20th centuries.

Authoritative studies have attempted to reconstruct the history and scale of this once flourishing enterprise, which evolved from being a cottage industry into to a large company, before going bankrupt and completely disappearing in 1935. The five Peluso brothers (including shoemaker Paolino, 1819-1893) moved to Lecce in 1888 and opened a factory employing three hundred people at the beginning of the 20th century. They were responsible for 120 buildings and 280 mosaic floors, of which 85% can definitely be attributed to the hand of the Peluso brothers. One of the best known in the area, for example, was carried out by older brothers Antonio, Ippazio and Luigi, who restored the famous mosaics of Otranto Cathedral in 1875. However, it is the handiwork of their younger brothers, Michele and Giuseppe, that became even more illustrious. It would appear that it was the latter, in fact, who patented the technique of reinforced litho-cement in 1904 and who was considered the real mastermind and innovator of the company. It was under his leadership that the Peluso brothers created, most famously, the mosaic flooring of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Piazza Duomo in Milan.

The mosaic flooring of Dimora Muratore is an invaluable work of art, thanks to its chromatic refinement, the execution skills of Michele and Giuseppe Peluso and the richness of the iconographic repertoire, displaying geometric designs that are floral, natural and vegetal, and include figures of anthropomorphic animals. In one of the rooms, it is also possible to observe a unique detail in the form of a decoration with floral motifs where, in the centre of the composition, the initials ‘R' and ‘C’ are clearly prominent. They represent Rocco Chillino, the original owner of the Villa, and his wife Rosaria, to whom the residence was dedicated. The inscription "Villa Rosaria" can still be clearly seen engraved on the outside on the columns of the main entrance).

In addition to the unique, opulent floors, there are colourful frescoes painted by Domenico Abbracciavento, who was originally from Bari. Initially, his works adorned all the vaults of Dimora Muratore, but now only one remains and has been painstakingly restored to its former splendour, covering the entire arched vault of the main salon on the first floor. In this enchanting setting, the white marble fireplace, also the work of the Peluso brothers, provides a detailed and lively backdrop.

Dimora Muratore is truly unique, and has been an integral part, testimony and direct protagonist of the extraordinary history of the city of Lecce since time immemorial.

FACILITIES AND SERVICES: BOUTIQUE HOTEL ACCOMMODATION AND PRIVATE EVENTS IN SALENTO

Dimora Muratore has dedicated the entire ground floor to a Relais boutique hotel with three elegant and comfortable rooms, including an exclusive suite with a Hammam, characterised by typical arched vaults.

The bedrooms, which each have a private bathroom with chromotherapy showers and a reserved garden area, open onto the central reception hall of the Villa and are tastefully furnished with every kind of modern comfort (air conditioning with temperature control, Wi-Fi internet, minibar, flat-screen TV, kettle, complimentary range of bath/shower products, towels, linen, etc), with all the amenities available in the most exclusive of hotels, yet located in an oasis of total privacy and tranquillity.

Breakfast, included in the price, offers guests a great start to the day with typical and genuine ‘zero-kilometre’ local produce, prepared on site or by excellent local and artisanal producers in the area and served in the bright central hall or, on request, in their private garden space.

‘RESTAURANT AT HOME’

Upon prior reservation, an exclusive " restaurant at home" service is available for guests staying at Dimora Muratore.

SUITE WITH HAMMAM

Guests staying in the suite can pamper themselves in the relaxing atmosphere of the enchanting, colourful ‘Hammam’.

PERSONALISED SERVICES

Our staff members will be happy to supply personalised services on your behalf, from organising transfers, bike or car rental to planning customised tours.

Free Wi-Fi and broadband internet is available throughout the Relais.

Dimora Muratore is also available for private events and special occasions, subject to prior agreement.