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THE BAROQUE |
  
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| Martina Franca is the triumph of Baroque, but in a very particular form: a light and sober "Barochetto" to which the local craftsmen have given their personal contribution with characteristic motifs, such as the arches of the doorways, the wrought iron galleries, the ornamental columns of the balconies, the decorative torches on the verandas, palazzi and arches.
This style triumphs in the Palazzo Ducale, built in 1668 by the Duke Petracone V Caracciolo on the remains of the old castle of Raimondello Orsini. It is an important work, in spired by the style of the sumptuous palaces in Rome, with 380 rooms and three precious halls (dedicated to Arcadia, Myth and the Bible), richly frescoed by Carella. It was intended to symbolise the power of the noble family, not only as a physical presence but above all as a symbol of greatness and political and economic power. Magnificence and splendour are also to be seen in the many fine buildings where the art of stone-cutting and wrought iron combine to create an identity whose charisma cannot be denied.
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