Palazzo Argentina

Among the aristocratic palaces that you can visit during your stay in Francavilla Fontana, we cannot forget Palazzo Argentina, also known as Palazzo Leo, whose construction dates back to the 15th century.
It was built on the remains of an ancient medieval building, which was modified during subsequent renovations. On the façade, above the French window, you can see the coat of arms of the Albanian Musachi family - who may have arrived in Puglia after the arrival of Charles I of Anjou - characterised by the double-headed eagle, a symbol of their geographical origin. The most interesting feature is the stone balcony, declared a national monument in 1913. It is characterised by large carparo frames, finely engraved with decorations depicting animals and mythological subjects mixed with refined floral elements. Carparo is a type of calcarenite stone from Salento, widely used in the building industry. Its granular consistency makes it suitable for sculptural details, bas-reliefs or high reliefs. For this reason, during the Baroque period, Carparo was used in particular for the façades of many churches.