Museo diocesano - sezione di Gallipoli

The first idea of a Diocesan Museum in Gallipoli was born from the happy intuition of Bishop Aldo Garzia, who in 1983 instituted the Diocesan Centre of Cultural Heritage of the then Diocese of Gallipoli, including the museum, the historical archives and bishopric library and appointed it as the location of the ancient seminary property of Gallipoli, which has now lost its original function. Equally, the bishop did the same on 24th June 1984 for the then diocese of Nardo. With the unification of the two dioceses, the Diocesan Museum has become one entity with two distinct sections, one in Gallipoli and the other in Nardo. The section of Gallipoli is located in an architecturally remarkable building, built by Mons. Serafino Brancone (1747-1759) in 1751, in order to provide the diocese of Gallipoli with his own seminary. In order to accommodate the museum, the building needed a thorough restoration and the necessary adjustments. The restoration began in 1999 and was completed in 2004. The museum complex occupies an area of 900 square meters on three floors with fifteen exhibition rooms.