Palazzo Giusso, Renaissance palace in historic Naples, Italy
Palazzo Giusso is a Renaissance palace in Naples designed by Giovanni da Nola, featuring a grand courtyard with arches supported by sculpted piperno pillars. The building spans four floors with decorated facades and an ornate staircase running through its interior.
Construction began in 1549 when Alonso Sánchez de Luna commissioned Giovanni da Nola after acquiring the property from Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba. The building later served as a repository for scholarly collections during the early modern period.
The palace houses collections of volcanic rocks and scientific texts that Cardinal Ascanio Filomarino gathered in the 1600s. These materials reflect the era's curiosity about Mount Vesuvius and its effects on the region.
The building now houses the University of Naples L'Orientale and can be admired from the exterior, though interior spaces serve institutional purposes. Its location in Naples' old town makes it easily accessible for visitors exploring the city's Renaissance architecture.
Inside the building, a fresco titled 'Hercules at the Crossroads' by Giuseppe Cammarano decorates the Aula Matteo Ripa. This artwork depicts a classical mythological scene and represents the decorative artistic program that once adorned the palace.
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