Palazzo Granafei Nervegna, Renaissance palace in Brindisi, Italy
Palazzo Granafei Nervegna is a Renaissance palace in Brindisi featuring three distinct architectural orders separated by decorative string courses along its facade. The main portal displays a sculpted lion holding wheat ears beneath a cross as its central decorative element.
The palace was built in the late 16th century by the Granafei family, merchants originally from Constantinople. In 1862 they sold the building to the Nervegna brothers, whose name was added to create the current dual designation.
The inscriptions on the facade convey Renaissance thoughts about knowledge and virtue that reflect the merchant family's values. These texts reveal the intellectual world of the 16th century and offer visitors a window into how educated people of that era thought about wisdom and success.
The building now houses municipal offices and exhibition spaces accessible from Via Duomo 20. Visitors should be aware that as an active administrative building, hours can vary and some areas may have limited public access.
Excavations beneath the palace revealed rooms from a 2nd-century Roman house. This archaeological discovery connects the building directly to ancient Brindisi and shows how Renaissance builders constructed their palace upon these older foundations.
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