Dating to the year 1000, the Palazzo Baronale degli Anguillara is the most important building in Calcata and dominates the village’s skyline with its crenelated tower.
After being the home of the Anguillara family, over time it has hosted all the village’s main services: post office, school, and medical clinic. Until the 1950s, the city’s most important events were held in the main hall, including almost all the wedding dinners for the people of Calcata.
After the inhabitants moved to Calcata Nuova, from the 1970s, the Palace was neglected for many years, shored up in some parts and missing a portion of the roof.
It was purchased by the Valle del Treja Park, and was completely renovated under a restoration project begun in 1995 and entrusted to the architect Paolo Portoghesi. After this work, the structure was fully recovered, and now houses the offices of the Park itself.
In 2015, important conservation and restoration work was done on the basement, in the past used as a public oven.
The large room with cross vaults, like the other barrel-vaulted rooms facing it, is undoubtedly the oldest part of the building. It was probably originally used as a reception room, and has been extensively altered over the centuries. At the end of the 18th century, it was turned into kitchens and storerooms. The installation of the oven compromised the painted decorations, covered by the inevitable smoky black patina over the years. With the 2015 restoration, the thick layers of paint mixed with soot were removed, bringing to light the frescoes that refer to the powerful Anguillara family.
For more information: www.parcotreja.it