Casa dei Melatino, Medieval palace in Teramo, Italy.
Casa dei Melatino is a three-storey square medieval palace in Teramo. Its ground floor has cross vaults and the remains of a portico with semi-buried masonry columns supporting ogival arches. Four windows on the middle band of the facade are made double by dividing colonnettes on carved bases; three are twisted, and two of these are wrapped by a serpent with a woman's head. Only the front and rear parts are visible today, the sides being flanked by later buildings.
The palace belonged to the noble Melatino family, who received lands and privileges from bishops to help rebuild Teramo after 12th-century destruction. This role made them important figures in the city's recovery and fortification efforts.
The stone coat of arms above the door shows the apple tree, the emblem of the Melatino family, which also gave its name to Largo Melatini. Since 1996 the building has belonged to the Fondazione Tercas, which restored it and now displays a collection of old Abruzzese majolica and European porcelain.
The building sits in a central location in the old town and is easily reached on foot and recognizable from the square. The newer buildings nearby show how the area has developed around the historic structure.
During restoration work in 1996, workers discovered remains of an ancient Roman house beneath the medieval structure. This find reveals that the site's history extends far deeper than what the visible building shows.
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