Inner Courtyard

Inner Courtyard

The two inner courtyards of the Archbishop's Palace in Nusco are spaces of great charm. Crossing the entrance, you come into the first, where a magnificent doorway in local stone, the work of a local workshop, displays arches, scrolls and plant motifs in full Baroque style. At the top centre is the coat of arms of Bishop Francesco Antonio Bonaventura; below it are an inscription commemorating the building's foundation and a shield bearing the motto SOLI DEO HONOR ET GLORIA, "To God alone be honour and glory". On the wall to either side is a series of carved heads in local stone, also dating from the mid-18th century. The inner façades of the palace rise on three levels, with elegant arches and windows, some framed in stone, which add a touch of refined simplicity to the whole.

The second courtyard, less ornate, leads to the museum's new exhibition spaces and is reached by the staircase beyond the main entrance. It has a quiet, secluded atmosphere, centred on a well with a well-head of local stone and wrought iron made by a Campanian workshop.

Once the heart of daily life in the bishop's residence, it is now a reminder of the past. Here the silence seems to tell the stories of the bishops and of all the people who worked, studied and lived here. Walking through this space, it is easy to imagine the moments of prayer and reflection, and the important decisions, that took place within its walls.