The Filangieri Museum is housed
in the Reinassance Palazzo Cuomo (or Como) which was built for the
rich merchant Angelo Cuomo.
During the 15th century it was renovated several times and a garden was
added as a gift from King Alfonso of Aragon in return for the allegiance of the
family who owned the building.
In 1881 when Via Duomo was to be widened, there were plans
to knock the building down.
In the end, however, it was decided that it should instead be taken apart and
shifted back by twenty metres.
Immediately after this event the mansion was used to house the art collections
belonging to Prince Gaetano Filangieri di Satriano and from then on it became a
museum.
Many of the works it contains were destroyed by a fire set by the Germans during
the Second World War.
In 1948 the museum was rebuilt using material savaged from the fire, and
was supplied with works from other institutes and private collections like the
Perronecollection (porcelains).
It was opened to the public in 1960s.
It was seriously damaged after the earthquake of 1980, because of this it
was restored and reorganized.
The museum's exhibits include valuable paintings by Botticelli, Guercino, and
the Neapolitans Giuseppe Ribera, Luca Giordano and Francesco Solimena.
Other objects on display include miniature, works in enamel, strong boxes,
mirrors and furniture, all of great artistic merit and from all over the world.
It is very interesting to see the exhibit of eastern and western arms from the
15th to the 19th centuries.
The museum contains an elegant and rich Library with 15000
volumes, a valuable collection of manuscripts and 150
parchments and the HistoricArchives.
