Palazzo Lanfranchi

Palazzo Lanfranchi is considered the most important 17th-century monument in Matera. The building was designed and constructed between 1668 and 1672 by the Capuchin friar Francesco da Copertino to house the diocesan seminary under the direction of Archbishop Vincenzo Lanfranchi. The architecture follows an asymmetrical floor plan arranged around a central courtyard. The facade on Via Ridola is divided into two sections by a cornice: below, you'll find niches with statues of the Madonna del Carmine and various saints, while above, pilasters, blind arcades, and a rosette keystone define the look. A clock sits above the pediment. Later additions in the 18th and 19th centuries slightly altered the original compactness of the complex.

Today the building houses the National Museum of Medieval and Modern Art of Basilicata. The collection is divided into four thematic areas, ranging from sacred art to a significant painting collection with works by Abraham Brueghel, De Mura, and Preti, and on to contemporary art, represented by Carlo Levi. Another focus is the demo-ethno-anthropological department. You can explore the museum across four floors, with the first floor serving as the main exhibition space. The imposing "Salone delle Arcate" on the top floor is suited to special exhibitions or serves as a lapidarium.

The palace's location at the end of Via Ridola, directly across from the limestone landscape of the Sasso Caveoso, makes it a symbolic link between the modern city and the historic Sassi, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In front of the main portal stands the sculpture "La Goccia" by the artist Kengiro Azuma. The building has a rich history: after Italian unification, it long served as a state secondary school, where the poet Pascoli also taught, before taking on its present cultural role in the 20th century.