Il Comune >> La Città >> Taranto attraverso le immagini

PALAZZO GALEOTA has been named after its last owner: the Galeota family. The Palace, built in 1728, is an example of Neapolitan architecture. From recent research we got to know about the story of Don Vincenzo Cosa, the first owner of the Palace.

Don Vincenzo, parish priest at the Cathedral of Taranto, was able to amass a considerable fortune within a few years. He mainly took care of some charitable legacy and developed a conspicuous credit activity. But his goal was not only to get rich: more than anything else he wanted to make his family part of the local aristocracy. He finally did it combining his economic power with the marriage of his brother Domenico with Lady Rosa de Cordova of Naples.

The Palace was built to make evident the fact that the Cosa family had entered the aristocracy. Don Vincenzo bought some of the buildings already existing there, but he also took some of them for the insolvency of creditors. What an ironical fate! During the second half of the XVIII century, after the death of Don Vincenzo and his brother Domenico, the Palace was given to the Calò family to settle a debt.

Later on the Palace was bought by the Galeota family and, in 1977, by the Municipality of Taranto. At present the town cultural office is in the restored building. At the end, nobody remembers anymore about Don Vincenzo Cosa and his vanity. Palace and D'Ayala Valva Palace.