History

1419 – The construction of the Tower

Torre del Parco (Turris Prati Magni) is located in the heart of Lecce and it is the Medieval and Renaissance symbol of the city.

The Monumental Complex was built on 1419 by Giovanni Antonio Orsini del Balzo (who was 18 years old), Prince of Taranto, son of Raimondello and Maria d’Enghien, who, at that time, was countess of Lecce and Queen of the Kingdom of Naples, having married in second marriage King Ladislao di Durazzo.

The tower is more than 30 meters high, build on three levels and surrounded by a ditch, where there were some bears, heraldic symbol of the Orsini del Balzo family.

The park around the tower was extended over 40 hectares, and it had a public and private area: the “Parco di dentro” (inside park), fenced citadel that included the tower and the Prince’s Palace, and the “Parco di fuori” (outside park) that ran till the urban boundaries, public area for exhibitions and markets.

In 1434 an area of the building became centre of Concistorium Principis, medieval court presided by the Prince Giovanni Antonio.

The building was also mint of state, where they coined the so – called “mali calini”, golden and silver coins.

Since 1458 to 1461 the tower became jail for prisoners that let their engraves, still visible, on the walls in the ground floor of the fortress.

After Giovanni Antonio was dead the building became residence of Spanish Viceroi that alternated on the dominion: from Ferrante Loffredo to Ferrante Caracciolo.

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Prof. Gianni Carluccio - Coordinator of historical research.

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