Photo: Ra Boe, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Historic villa / palace
Palazzo d'Avalos
Historic building in Vasto, Italy
At a glance
- Area
- 1,000 m²
- Protection
- Italian national heritage
- Coordinates
- 42°06′41″ N, 14°42′38″ E
- Address
- Piazza Lucio Valerio Pudente, 1 - Vasto
History and description
The Palazzo D'Avalos is a monumental palace located on Piazza Lucio Pudente, in the historic center of Vasto, region of Abruzzo, Italy. Until 1806, the residence of the Marquises of Vasto, it now houses three civic museums: the Archaeological Museum, the Pinacoteca (Art gallery), and the Costume Museum.
History and Description
The present Renaissance-style square block, with a large internal courtyard, rises just south-east of the Town Cathedral.
Construction of this palace began being built atop or including a 15th-century structure, possibly a Benedictine monastery pucheased in 1427 by the condotierro Giacomo Caldora, then lord of the town. In 1456, the palace was damaged by an earthquake. By 1496, the Spanish aristocratic family of d'Avalos, became lords of the town, and preferred to refurbish this palace instead of living in the city castle. By 1552, the second Marquis of the family, Francesco Ferdinando, began refurbishement. The area in this century had suffered depredation by Ottoman Corsairs such as Piyale Pascià. Again in 1573, a portion of the palace was granted by Isabella Gonzaga, widow of the marchese Francesco Ferdinando, to the quando Università di Vasto. The refurbishment of the palace and general area was promoted by Cardinal Innico d'Avalos d'Aragona, brother of Francesco Ferdinando. Designs have been attributed to a local Franciscan monk, Valerio de Sanctis and work was generally complete of the facade on the piazza by the end of the 16th-century.
In the 17th-century, a fountain was commissioned in front by Cesare Michelangelo d'Avalos, In addition, a theater and grand staircase added. Because this Cesaro had allied himself with the Austrian Imperial forces during the War of Spanish Succession, he was exiled from Vasto from 1701 to 1713, and the palace was sacked. By the time of the Napoleonic invasions, the d'Avalos relocated to Naples. Much of the interiors by the early 1800s had been removed. The theater continued to screen works until 1832, when a work was given in honor of the King of Naples, Ferdinando II Bourbon. The commune purchased the palace in 1974.
Collections
The museo archeologico was moved ere from the former convent of San Francesco, in 1989–1998. Among its collections are included many Roman artifacts.
The museo del costume antico was open in 1995 and has vestments dating from the 19th-century, including a hand carriage.
The Pinacoteca collection was initially started with a donation in 1898 by the brothers Giuseppe, Filippo, Nicola e Francesco Paolo Palizzi and others. It was reopened in 1999. It includes works of Filippo Palizzi, Francesco Paolo Michetti, Gabriele Smargiassi, and Giulio Aristide Santoro. There is now a gallery of Arte Contemporanea with a nucleus formed by the donation of the Paglione-Olivares family, including works by the Italian artists Bonichi, Carmassi, De Stefano, Falconi and the Spaniards Mensa, Orellana, Ortega, Quetglas.
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Palazzo d'Avalos».
Photos
Getting there
Vasto-San SalvoTrain, nearest
4.2 km as the crow flies
Palazzo d'AvalosPiazza Lucio Valerio Pudente, 1 - Vasto
Port6.9 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore historic villas and palaces in Abruzzo
Frequently asked questions
Where is Palazzo d'Avalos?
Palazzo d'Avalos is in Vasto, in the province of Chieti (Abruzzo), Italy. Address: Piazza Lucio Valerio Pudente, 1 - Vasto. GPS coordinates: 42.11149, 14.71056.
What else is there to see near Palazzo d'Avalos?
Nearby you’ll find: Musei di palazzo d'Avalos (0 m away), Histonium (200 m away), Torre di Bassano (200 m away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 9 photos
- Vasto 2009 - Palazzo d'Avalos - by-RaBoe 001 — Ra Boe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- L'ingresso di Palazzo d'Avalos — Gilasjack, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palazzo Avalos — Francesca Bertolani, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palazzo d'Avalos, Vasto, veduta d'insieme — Piergiorgio Di Falco, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palazzo d'Avalos — IvoK., CC BY-SA 4.0
- Vasto - Palazzo d'Avalos 01 — Pietro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Veduta di Palazzo d'Avalos — Gilasjack, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ©Piergiorgio Di Falco Foto -53 — Piergiorgio Di Falco, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 66054 Vasto, Province of Chieti, Italy - panoramio - trolvag (14) — trolvag, CC BY-SA 3.0
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences