Palazzo Melatino is the most important existing example of a medieval noble building in Teramo. Owned by the Savini family from the 19th century to 1996, when it was bought by the Tercas Bank with the aim of making it its own location. In 2005 the reconstruction, reinforcement and rebuilding works started and they were concluded in 2010, when the palace was given back to the town and returned to its ancient glory, becoming the guardian of unexpected discoveries.
The facade and the inside of the palace are clearly of medieval era: the cross-vault columns on the ground floor, the remains of an old porch, the windows with pointed arches, in some cases mullioned with decorated dividing columns; the river pebbles and the brickwork used to build the palace and finally its three floors. All this speaks about Middle Age; in addition, the oldest document referring to the Palace dates back to 1232. It is a lease contract in favour of Matteo di Melatino with the obligation of loyalty to the bishop and of residence in Teramo.
Between 2005 and 2010 two layers of flooring belonging to an ancient Roman domus were found, both of them were very refined workmanship, one is a mosaic and the other a sectile, datable between the 1st century BC. and the 4th century AD. Consequently, it is possible to say that Palazzo Melatino is a medieval building and a noble palace of the Middle Age built on the remains and foundations of an ancient Roman domus. Inside the rooms, history and ancient materials coexist with the needs and materials of modernity: glass, natural stones, wood, Corten steel and mosaic tiles that give the space a homogeneous and monochromatic appearance, without interruptions, encouraging the communication between the two different entities. In the rooms on the ground floor, as well as on the first and second floor, ancient and modern ceramics of Castelli and porcelain objects are exposed.
Traduzione: classe 3ALL del Liceo linguistico statale Giannina Milli
CONTENUTI AGGIUNTIVI
Scopri Teramo... con gli occhi di un adolescente (I.C. Falcone-Borsellino)
