Palace of the Annunciation

The Palazzo dell’Annunziata, located in the heart of Matera in Piazza Vittorio Veneto, is a magnificent example of rococo architecture that reflects the rich history and culture of the city. Built starting from 1735, the palace was designed by the architect Vito Valentino, although its construction was later completed by Mauro Manieri, a architect from Lecce who took over the work in 1742 after Valentino was dismissed. The construction of the palace was initially commissioned to house a Dominican monastery. However, the work encountered numerous difficulties, not least the depth of the ground on which the structures had to be founded, which reached about 15 meters. These problems, combined with disagreements between Valentino and the administration of the nuns, led to delays and the replacement of the architect. Manieri made some significant changes to the original project, including the demolition of the unfinished internal church and the creation of an internal courtyard in its place. The palace, although partially incomplete, was finally occupied by the nuns in 1747. However, the internal church was never realized as initially planned, and it was only in 1844 that the engineer Gaetano di Giorgio completed the Church of the Annunciation in the central courtyard of the monastic complex. The suppression of the monastery in 1861 brought the palace under the management of the municipality, which used it for various public functions, including the court and a school. Throughout the 20th century, the Palazzo dell’Annunziata continued to evolve. In the 1970s, it was decided to allocate the building to the Provincial Library “Tommaso Stigliani”, founded in 1933. This library is now one of the most important in Italy, with a collection of over 250,000 volumes, including 30,000 rare ones. The library is named after the poet and writer Tommaso Stigliani, originally from Basilicata and known for his friendship with Torquato Tasso. The restoration of the palace after the 1980 earthquake and the subsequent consolidation and restructuring works in the 1990s have allowed to preserve and enhance this important cultural heritage. The library was officially inaugurated in 1998 in the presence of the Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, marking a new chapter in the history of the building. The architecture of the Palazzo dell’Annunziata is a fascinating mix of styles, with rococo elements evident in the decoration of the facade and in the elaborate windows designed by Manieri. The building dominates the square with its grandeur and, despite the changes over the centuries, maintains an architectural harmony that tells the story of Matera and its transformations. In addition to the library, the palace has hosted numerous cultural events, exhibitions, and conferences, becoming a vital center for the intellectual and social life of the city. The presence of the provincial library inside has helped to consolidate the role of the palace as the beating heart of Matera’s culture.