The city where I live has a small historic center in which there is a high density of historic buildings dating back to between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries AD, whose main feature is the presence of large internal spaces, in the past used for parking. carriages but not only. Usually the noble families lived in the rooms on the upper floors while the rooms on the ground floor were occupied by animals and breeders, who took care of the animals themselves and the production, for example, of cheeses, eggs and meat.
Over the years, especially in the last two decades, many historic buildings have been restored and have become historic homes, buildings that represent the history of the city. Among these buildings is Palazzo Telesio, dating back to the 14th century and until the end of the 90's it was a museum of ancient carriages and I still remember when my father used to take me to visit it.
Today Palace Antonacci has become the seat of a prestigious hotel but has decided to preserve a piece of the museum's history, keeping some examples of carriages, which can be visited for free, where it is also possible to enjoy the wide spaces of the entrance hall, decorated with some Christmas lights. , in a sober style that highlights the beauty and grandeur of the structure.
The carriages belong to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, they were used until the mid-1950s when the advent of cars and motorcycles definitively replaced horses. At first the carriages were set aside in the warehouses and later, with the return of vintage, they were exhumed and today they represent unique pieces of furniture.
It is not possible to board the carriages, they are very delicate despite the restoration, and in case of damage to parts of the vehicle, the cost of the restoration would be expensive, so it is better to prevent possible collisions. The entire building was restored about 20 years ago and today some architectural elements have been lost, others have been recovered, such as the ancient wooden door, at least five meters high and marred by time and by the various stresses suffered by time. and from the saltiness of the sea, a few tens of meters away.
During the summer season, this space is also used for the display of some photographic or artistic exhibitions, in which the carriages are a work that integrates well with any theme or style. Floral decorations have been wisely placed in a very precise way to break up the predominant element, that is the limestone.
In the evening, this area has such an atmosphere that it predisposes visitors to enter the palace and visit the entrance hall. At the top, in the center of the large corridor, there are the balconies of the restaurant which in the past were the rooms of the nobles. The story is imprinted in every single stone of these walls and this floor and the attentive listeners can almost perceive the narrating voice of the walls. A truly enchanting place