Convent of St. Antonio

Built in the 15th century at the behest of Giovanni Antonio Orsini del Balzo and remodeled several times over the centuries, the Convent of Sant’Antonio was one of the many structures built outside the city walls and whose care was entrusted to the religious.

This large architectural complex on several levels has been remodeled several times over the centuries, in order to host the city prison, before being restored and used as the seat of the Archaeological Superintendence.

The study of the sources has returned part of the description of the original decorations (which was almost completely lost over the centuries); The structure has been used for different purposes and, eventually, it has been abandoned. According to the historian A. Merodio, author of Historia Tarentina, the Convent was characterized by its great visual impact, by the magnificent frescoed cloister and by a valuable annexed church which he described as rich in noble chapels.