Located in the lovely district of San Silvestro and set between two precious medieval treasures ( Scannabecco Fountain and Sant’Ilario church ), the Pongelli Palace is a masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance architecture.
According to tradition, this elegant building was erected in the late 16th century incorporating some medieval houses belonging to the Benedettoni family, which is assumed to be the family of Jacopone da Todi, the famous poet.
Because of that, its former name was Benedettoni Palace; the name was turned into “Pongelli” in the XVIII century when the last Benedettoni, Anna, married Giacinto Pongelli and brought the palace with her as a dowry.
The simple but elegant entrance leads you into a small courtyard; taking the main staircase you arrive at the main floor to admire the beautifully frescoed rooms, by the most important local painters at that time.
The first owners, the Benedettonis, wanted to pay homage to their famous relative Jacopone da Todi by frescoing some of the walls of this palace with scenes from the life of Jacopone; this is the only existing cycle of frescoes about Jacopone.
Last but not least, you can enjoy the amazing view from the palace’s unique garden, in an elevated position adjacent to the main floor! This beautiful space hosts flowers, fruit trees and a wisteria that is more than 100 years old… a proper paradise on earth!
The palace can be visited by appointment and is rented for events, such as weddings, concerts, meetings etc.
The present owner, Count Eugerio Pongelli, is very happy to have guests in his palace: he enjoys coming to welcome visitors, never missing the opportunity to summarize his family’s story. He wants to keep the building alive as a testimony of the magnificence of Todi in the Renaissance period.
Rates and booking – €100 flat rate, entrance fee up to 10 people + €60 for the guided visit
For larger groups, please contact Elisa at infotodiguide@gmail.com
For more special itineraries in Todi, visit the SPECIAL ITINERARIES page!
