Palazzo Pantaleo, 18th century palace in Old Town Taranto, Italy
Palazzo Pantaleo is an 18th-century palace in Old Town Taranto featuring a grand staircase and wrought iron balconies overlooking the Mar Grande. The residence comprises two floors with twenty-two rooms throughout its layout.
Baron Francesco Maria Pantaleo commissioned this residence in 1770, hiring renowned builder Francesco Saverio Miraglia to execute the design. The construction reflected the architectural ambitions of Taranto's nobility during this prosperous period.
The building houses the Alfredo Majorano Ethnographic Museum, which documents pizzica music and tarantism practices recorded during the 1950s. Visitors experience how traditional southern Italian dance traditions were preserved and studied in this space.
The palace functions as headquarters for the Municipal Administration and hosts official receptions and community events throughout the year. Check ahead whether visits are possible, as the building remains an active administrative center.
The interior preserves original vermilion doors with gold moldings and late 1700s floor tiles throughout the ceremonial rooms. These surviving details reveal the artistic standards that shaped this noble residence.
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