Palazzo Lanfranchi: A Baroque Masterpiece in Matera

Palazzo Lanfranchi, overlooking Piazza Pascoli, is considered one of Matera's most significant examples of Baroque architecture. Constructed between 1668 and 1672 by Capuchin friar Francesco da Copertino, it was commissioned by Archbishop Vincenzo Lanfranchi to serve as a diocesan seminary. The building incorporates a pre-existing Convent of Carmine. The palace served as a seminary until 1864 when it was taken over by the Piedmontese Government after the Unification of Italy. It then became home to the Classical Lyceum and the National Boarding School, hosting a young Giovanni Pascoli as a teacher in his early years. The Lyceum remained in the Palazzo until 1980. The asymmetrical facade is divided into two horizontal sections by a cornice. The lower level features five niches containing statues of San Nicola, the Madonna del Carmine, San Filippo Neri, San Giacinto, and San Bartolomeo. The upper level displays vertical pilasters with capitals, nine blind arches, and a central rose window, crowned by a pediment with a clock. Inside, a staircase leads to a long corridor and a 17th-century cloister, adorned with a sundial and busts of the building's benefactors. Since 2003, Palazzo Lanfranchi has been home to the National Museum of Matera, displaying a diverse collection of art and artifacts related to the region. The museum hosts rotating exhibitions and permanent collections, including regional religious works from the 12th to 18th centuries, as well as sculptures in wood, polychrome stone, and papier-mâché.