This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)

Palazzo Pagano is located in Quadrelle (AV), in Bassa Irpinia, inside Parco Regionale del Partenio and the site of community importance (SIC) Dorsale dei Monti del Partenio. It is an important noble building, which was built during Norman times on the ruins of Grancia dei monaci di Montevergine.

According to the documents of 1600, the family Barile di Napoli bought in  Quadrelle “a house with garden”, which corresponds to the ancient location of the abbey property. Then the owner became  Don Paolo Braccio, baron of Cutignano and in 1743  Don Francesco Emanuele Pinto, Prince of Ischitella, who transformed it into a suitable resort area. Now it belongs to the family Pagano.

Thanks to the Prince of Ischitella, the public water system was created: since he wanted to widen and renew the palace, he asked the University of Quadrelle the permission to remove the waterway in the cellaio inside the palace where the citizens drew water; as compensation, he offered the mountain springs – used also for the garden fountains-, to the population building a fountain which he had built in front of the entrance of the palace. The prince, who gave to the palace and its gardens the present aspect, sold them to Don Sebastiano Pagano, and they belong now to its family,

The palace, refurbished during 1700, is built around a squared courtyard, with service environments on the ground floor and the residential ones on the first floor, with two staircases, one of them is on the outside.  Then the principal façade was lost and probably also a more representative staircase, because of a volume reduction (to create the fountain). Apart from this, the building has not undergone any other transformations till the 20^th century, when the refurbishment interventions altered its volumetric characteristics and caused the loss of some decorative parts. It presents still the chapel, some rooms with frescos on the first floor, the portico and the well with wash house and the pavement with calcareous pebbles in the courtyard, and a beautiful hanging garden with centuries old trees, aedicules, fountains and nymphaeums with baroque decorations.

In the vicinities. The church SS. Annunziata di Quadrelle, of the 16^th century, presents baroque decorations, and a bell tower. The internal 1500 tabernacle created by the Neapolitan artist Girolamo Santacroce, a precious painting of the 17^th century probably painted by N. Brancia representing Transito di San Giuseppe and wooden icon of the 15^th century of the so called scuola umbra.

From the centre of  Quadrelle it is possible to reach Ponte di Acquaserta, designed during the 19^th century along the valley of Rio Secco stream, till arriving to the lodge Valle Fredda ( 1021 metres).

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)