The 52 steps of the Colonne climb lead to where the Ancient Appian Way ends, a walk to a glorious past. Originally the columns were two, but the other one, which collapsed in 1528, was ceded to the city of Lecce to support the statue of the patron saint in Piazza Sant’Oronzo, and here there are only the base and a piece of stone. The one still standing, 19 meters high, is made of African marble, has a base of 2.65 meters and culminates in a capital decorated by four pairs of tritons and as many gods, Jupiter, Neptune, Pallas, and Mars. While admiring it, it is natural to think of how skilled the ancient Romans were in design and construction. Finally, a writing on the right of the column recalls the place where, according to tradition, was the house where Vergil died in 19 BC, returning from Greece with Mark Anthony and Augustus. But that is not all. Enjoy the panorama: the view on the harbor is really exceptional!
