Palazzo Morelli with chapel, gardens and project

Palazzo Morelli, named after its owners since the 1700s, is located in the historic center of Lecce. "....Of sixteenth-century layout, the building belonged to the Paladini family and preserves clear documents of its foundation in the doorway from the Catalan-Durazzesque line, in the ornaments of the interior elevation that recall those, coeval, of the Prato Palace, and in the bauletto frieze of the entablature of the windows. Sold in the years 1732-1735 by the Perrone - Tironi to the Morelli family, the latter entrusted its enlargement to Emanuele Manieri, who provided it with new apartments and the large doorway that goes up the elevation to the mignano." (cf. Michele Paone "Palaces of Lecce"). For sale is the most noble and elegant portion of the grand palace, which, just a few steps from the cathedral, offers rooms that tell the story of important families. The front door, the large courtyard and the staircase leading to the main floor stir the emotion of history. A garden refreshes the spirits and the view of a fascinating and ancient place. The Palazzo's current architectural conformation derives, as in most of Lecce's most important and ancient dwellings contained in the historic core, from repeated remodeling of the original medieval layout, of which clear traces can be seen in the wall texture of the facade overlooking the garden. The late 15th-century facade with its wide round arches is even visible here. Underground cisterns for collecting rainwater and wells dug into the ground for water supply are still present on the property. It was later in the 1700s that the ancestors of the present owner decided to expand the palace with new rooms, and some of the work was commissioned from the famous architect Emanuele Manieri. Meanwhile, the Pope had granted the family the privilege of celebrating Mass inside the Palace, in the splendid 18th-century chapel still consecrated today. It was in this Palace that Blessed Vincenzo Maria Morelli, a Theatine religious and archbishop of Otranto from 1791 to 1812, was born in 1741. Barrel vaults, wooden beams, portals, balconies, friezes, angled vaults, authentic floors, cementine, are just some of the elements that captivate every visitor. A journey through history of more than 7 centuries. Needing major renovation work, already with project, the property lends itself well to a receptive destination as well as to become a private historic home, as it has been for centuries.