The Palazzo Ducale

The Palazzo Ducale is, developing along the east-west axis, together with the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, the closure element of the village of Pietramontecorvino. It develops on three levels. The last, the noble floor, overlooks the courtyard that takes its name from it. The building, in a first time, consisted of only two or three environments of extreme simplicity, situated in the west of the village, in front of the tower. From the church square and from the latter is accessed through a large wooden doors, to the main courtyard. The main entrance to the Palace is located on the left side of the courtyard. The portal of stone, soberly decorated by two nuts to the tip of the diamond and with jambs to slight groove, is surmounted by a grotesque mask: in the popular tradition would be the Duke. The reception hall is the symbolic center of all this complex of civil construction. The coat of arms is a "roof": a purple robe and ermine, collected at the top by a crown, opens as a tent and has a black eagle surmounted by the ducal crown and under whose feet are placed the maltese cross and a ribbon with the motto "Duriora Decoxi". The Latin motto may result: "I cooked things much harder than that". The coat of arms represents the noble family of the Dukes Montalto di touch, the last owners of the Palace and Tower of Pietramontecorvino. Adjacent to the feudal residence there is an interesting hanging garden, delimited by a series of elegant arches.