In the village of Montesano Salentino, in the heart of the historic centre, stands the Church of Maria SS. Immaculate Conception, one of the community’s most important religious buildings. Its origins date back to the 16th century, although its current appearance is the result of major renovations carried out in 1882, which profoundly altered its structure.

The façade is embellished with an elegant Baroque portal from the early 18th century, above which stands a stone statue of the Immaculate Virgin, patron saint of the church. The interior is divided into three naves and houses several works of great artistic and religious interest. Among these are the 19th-century altars dedicated to Our Lady of Good Counsel, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Immaculate Conception, as well as the painting of the Immaculate Conception by the painter Aniello Letizia.

The 18th-century wooden statue of Saint Donatus, carried in procession during religious celebrations, is also particularly venerated. The church also houses a precious silver reliquary containing a femur of the saint, to whom a chapel dating back to the 11th century is dedicated. Inside, you can still admire a 15th-century fresco depicting Saint Donatus, venerated as the patron saint of the village and traditionally invoked against epilepsy.

Next to the Mother Church, on the left-hand side, stands the small church of Our Lady of Sorrows, built in 1856. The building has a single altar in Lecce stone on which the painting of the Desolate Virgin is placed. The cabinets along the walls contain several papier-mâché sculptures, some of which are still used today during the evocative Good Friday procession of the Mysteries, one of the most heartfelt moments in the religious tradition of Montesano Salentino.