Church of S. Francesco di Paola (Gallipoli)

The Church of San Francesco da Paola is a church in the old town of Gallipoli erected in 1621 and is part of the suppressed convent of the Friars Minor (or Paolotti). The Church is the seat of the Brotherhood of Santa Maria ad Nives or Cassopo.

The convent, originally built over some houses located in the Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Canneto, outside the walls, was moved inside the old town thanks to the donation of Fra 'Carlo, of the Abatizzi family. The convent was suppressed on January 4 1809 and the building was used for various civilian uses, until its abandonment. It is currently in ruins: only some columns of the cloister remain, with traces of frescoes on the life of S. Francesco da Paola and his order history. The church was instead open for worship, even after the suppression of the convent of the Friars Minor.