In March on this year we wrote; “Probably the finest example of Florentine renaissance architecture in Barga, the Palazzo Angelio in Barga Vecchia could (maybe) be finally getting some renovations to its world weary and damaged façade which for many years had be reduced to a kind of “peek a boo, now you see me, now you don’t” game with parts of its delicate decorations desperately trying to show through from underneath the terrible grey pebble dash finish that was slapped all over it some time in the recent past.”
In April we said. ” This week work started on building the scaffolding around the piazza – the project is off and running. Hopefully the work will be completed in double quick time as the visitors to Barga have already started to arrive with Piazza Angelio the premier location for live entertainment during the summer with live music concerts from Barga Jazz and others. ”
In July. “This morning workmen completed the work on the roof of the palazzo and started to remove some of the scaffolding which has been covering up the building since April. The white sheeting which has kept the curious eyes of the Barghigiani from seeing the transformation taking place on what is probably the finest building in Barga Vecchia is still firmly wrapped around the palazzo”
Then came August, where absolutely nothing gets done as it’s holiday time. September has now arrived and once more life picks up speed.
This morning Luciano Zanella* and company were back in Piazza Angelio as they started work on the final part of the long restoration of Palazzo Angelio – the two large antique chestnut doors at the entrance.
Palazzo Angelio
This piazza, once known as Piazza Aiaccia, owes its present name to two buildings built by the Angeli family, who were reknown for producing poets, writers, prelates and soldiers. The most famous of these, Pietro Angeli (1512-1573), also known by his knickname “Bargeo”, was a poet, a soldier and a professor of Greek and Latin at the University of Pisa.
One of the Angeli buildings on this piazza was formerly the home of the journalist, writer and typographer Pietro Groppi (1831 – 1908), who wrote a biography of Pietro Angelio and founded the weekly newspaper “The Serchio Echo” and which now houses the barganews and barga jazz offices and the barganews book exchange.
* Luciano Zanella, painter and specialist decorator and well known in Barga Vecchia for his work on some of the other large palazzo’s – articles can be seen here:
Palazzo Balduini here | Palazzo 2 here | Palazzo Salvi here | Palazzo 3 here | Palazzo Pancrazi here