In 1990, after more than 25 years spent in premises not entirely suitable, the State Archive of Brindisi was finally moved to the new headquarters in Piazza S. Teresa, in a building of particular historical and artistic interest, returned to the city after a complex restoration work lasting almost 10 years.
It is the former convent of Santa Teresa, built in the second half of the 17th century by the Discalced Carmelites, in the historic center close to the homonymous church. It then served in the 19th century as a barracks, acquiring the name of Manthonè barracks, and was finally left in total abandonment, so much so that, in the 1960s, its demolition was even proposed in order to reuse the area as a building site. Finally, in ’62, the building was decommissioned by the Ministry of Defense, thus becoming a state asset, of which the Ministry of Finance – General Directorate of State Property – could later decide the use for the State Archive and the transfer to the then Ministry for Cultural and Environmental Heritage, which initiated its restoration.
The construction features the characteristic conventual typology, with a four-sided portico and internal courtyard, with a quadrangular layout, to which non-contemporary rooms have been added.
The destination as State Archive suggested using the very large ground floor rooms around three sides of the portico (the fourth side is against the church) as storage and for exhibition and conference rooms, which originally certainly housed the kitchen, cellars, pantries, refectory, and the agricultural tools warehouse, while offices were placed on the first floor, in the series of small cells served by a continuous corridor. On the first floor is also the study room, in a large room with lunette vault.
Unfortunately, the storage rooms proved insufficient to house all the documentary material preserved in the Archive, so it is still necessary to use other detached premises for this purpose.
Information about the State Archive of Brindisi
Piazza S. Teresa, 4
72100 Brindisi
0831523412/13
as-br@archivi.beniculturali.it
www.asbrindisi.beniculturali.it
Source: MIBACT
