Strolling through the streets of the historic centre of Cellino San Marco, overlooking the main square (Largo Castello), you can admire one of the most emblematic places: the Baronial Palace, also known as the Albrizzi Castle or Palazzo Comitale.
Records date the first construction to the 9th or 10th century, when the centre was still a feud, ruled over the centuries by various families, including the De Fallosa, De Noha, Albrizzi and Chyurlia. It was part of the province of Lecce until 1927, when it became part of the province of Brindisi. The irregular urban expansion has left no visible traces in the present medieval layout, except for this Palazzo.
In fact, this building represents Cellino San Marco's feudal past, but it is also the only urban Baroque presence in the town. Uninhabited for decades, the palace today looks very different from the original one due to the many transformations that have taken place over time.
One of the most imposing structural changes was the general extension carried out by the Albrizzi family, particularly on the right side of the current palace, where the so-called square tower with crooked spurs was built. In 1742, Pasquale Chyurlia added the left wing to complete the transformation of the building into a noble residence.
What remains of the original structure of the palace is the characteristic stone balustrade with refined columns in full Baroque style, which overlooks the entrance portal and runs around the perimeter of the building to remind us of its former splendour.
