This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)

This palace is the XVIII century residence of the Granafei family that became rulers of the Sternatia fief in 1733; its construction is attributed to the architect Mauro Manieri from Lecce.

The gardens were developed along the sides of the main building. The garden on the ground floor, on the south side, is probably the oldest; it features some stone seats and two rustic tanks, a colonnade that underlines the main paths, and citrus fruit grove.
The second garden, on the other hand, can be found on the north side of the palace. Known as the “flower garden”, it was embellished with some remarkable late Baroque furnishings. This garden was probably created in 1769, as per the prominent engraving on the head of a well. It was actually built on several levels, the first of which, near the hall, is accessible from the main floor of the residence: two symmetrical ramps lead to a lower level.

The space is divided by paved paths, in small square flower beds, bordered by a stone plinth; inside, there are orange, mandarin and medlar trees. Some small flower beds with a multilinear shape, at the base of some stone columns, were originally intended for flowers and aromatic herbs – probably the same ones bought by the Granafeis from the Duke of Poggiardo, to make decoctions and essential oils.
On one corner of the garden, there is a coffee house looking like a circular sentry box surmounted by a perforated dome, with a seat inside and drape-like wall paintings.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)