| The mansion shows its grand mightiness to the main square of Manduria, where people use to gather in their free time to have a chat,while in the past landowners came here to engage day labourers for the following morning. Garibaldi’s square is also fronted by the Town Hall, where the policy of the town takes place. The Imperiali Palace is called ‘The 100 rooms- Palace’. In reality the rooms are actually 99, because there was no time to complete the last one. It is the only example of Baroque architecture in Manduria. Michele III, marquis of Manduria, Oria, Francavilla and Avetrana entrusted the architect of Lecce Mauro Manieri with the construction of the Palace. To create this building, the probable remains of the ancient medieval castle were wiped out. What’s more, considering the grand structure, a striking number of workers was involved for many years on end. However, this solid building came out as simple and magnificent at the same time; it was used by the feudatory for his frequent huntings in the woods of Manduria every time he was free from engagements at the court of Naples.
Its façade is constituted by three advanced bodies broken off by the intermediate ones, which draw back -the central body includes the sumptuous portal with the wooden door which is still preserved here-, and by a great balcony held up by puissant corbels and decored with a fine wrought-iron balustrade, which needs to be restored. On the sides of the façade there are the giant cartouches of the Imperiali family: lilies, the big hawk, the marquisate crown. There are forty-two windows; those on the last floor are walled-up and provided with ovoidal holes. This Palace excites a little bit of envy; many people would like to visit it but they can only content themselves with entering the ground floor rooms -which comprise a bank, a restaurant and other shops- and the beautiful courtyard with a scenographic flight of steps. It is said that Franceschiello di Borbone, in a visit to the land of Otranto, stopped in Casalnuovo and was lodged in this Palace, which defined better and more comfortable than his Court in Naples. |