Lo Spedale dello Spirito Santo di Lecce. Indagine economica e storica su una struttura caritativo-assistenziale

The essay reconstructs the stages of the birth, development and transformation of the Hospital of the "Spirito Santo" of Lecce, through the available sources of archive. Platee, pastoral visits, notarial deeds, Decurional conclusions allow to throw new light on events that have catalyzed the attention of the population over time and marked moments of the city policy. Its union in 1568 with the hospital of "S. Nicolò degli Esposti" or "delli Gettatielli" opened new tasks and perspectives to the structure, which assumed an absolutely relevant role in the charitable-welfare activity of the city and the entire province. It should be remembered that the University of Lecce contributed annually to the expenses of management and, thereafter, all the municipalities of the province had the obligation to participate with the surplus of their annuities, in the extension of the intervention of the Pio Institute in favour of exposed and infirm of the whole territory of Salento. In particular, the capital, economic and managerial aspects are developed, which were the motive of power struggles between the Dominican fathers – the first directors of the institution according to the will of the founder Giovanni d'Aymo, ousted in 1514 by a papal bull – and the town administration and, then, between political factions of the same city. The heritage is analyzed in its structure and evolution, bringing out a significant picture of the management of a company in the modern age, with the types of contracts stipulated for the exercise of the activity and for the use of resources, aimed at the development and consolidation of the structure.