The Palazzo Filonardi is located next to the San Pietro Ispano Church in the Piazza San Pietro in the historical centre of Boville Ernica in the province of Frosinone. The palace was built in the 16th century and is the biggest building of the city.
Palazzo Filonardi Boville Ernica
Useful information
Address: Piazza San Pietro – 03022 Boville Ernica.
History and description
The Palazzo Filonardi was constructed by Cardinal Ennio Filonardi. He had the palace built on top of the ruins of a castle that used to belong to his family. It was meant as a holiday destination for Pope Paul III Farnese. Cardinal Filonardi‘s own name is engraved in the windows.
The entrance portal giving access to the Piazza San Pietro is made of the local volcanic tuff stone. The architect of this portal, and of several other architectural elements including the Sala di Rappresentanza, was Jacopo Barozzi il Vignola.
The enormous complex has five sides and several courtyards. The interior floors are decorated with elements of the coats of arms of both the Farnese (irises) and Della Rovere (oaks) families.
The Filonardi family continued living in the castle till the beginning of the 19th century, when it was acquired by the Propaganda Fide. Later it became property of the Aliprandi family and in 1912 it became the seat of the Benedictine nuns. The nuns used to live in the Palazzo Simoncelli, but had had to escape because of fire.