As its name suggests, the sanctuary of Santa Maria de Finibus Terrae in Santa Maria di Leuca is on the last offshoot of the Salento, on the promontory where the Ionian and Adriatic seas meet.
The first church was built at the dawn of Christianity, on the ruins of a pagan temple dedicated to the Goddess Minerva. According to a tradition, St. Peter landed here, arriving from Palestrina. The passage of the apostle is celebrated by the large Corinthian column erected in 1694 on the square in front of the sanctuary.
Because of its geographical position, the sanctuary was subject to continuous destruction and looting by the Turks and Saracens. The present building is the sixth and was erected in the 18th century. Since October 7, 1990 the sanctuary has been elected a minor basilica.
