The Bishop’s Palace in Monteforte d’Alpone

The first Bishop’s Palace is first mentioned in 1231, not many years after the “agreement” of 1207, under which the City of Verona ceded the land of Monteforte to the bishopric in exchange for Legnago, Tregnago, Roverchiara, and other localities.

The present-day palace, which dominates the square with its austere mass, was commissioned in the second half of the 15th century by Ermolao Barbaro, the Venetian bishop remembered both for his skills as a shepherd of the diocese and for his initiatives in the field of construction: in fact, he carried out major renovations both at the bishop’s palace in Verona and at other episcopal residences.

He commissioned engineer Michele da Caravaggio to design the reconstruction of the Monteforte palace; working in collaboration with his son Francesco, he supervised the work from 1457 until at least 1467, the year in which the bishop, in recognition of their services, granted the two craftsmen a perpetual lease on a plot of land located in Monteforte.

The building designed by Maestro Michele is arranged around a rectangular cloister, which features 22 columns of red Verona marble on the ground floor, while the same number of columns are used in the upper loggia. The building must have originally been crenellated, with tall round chimneys and single-lancet windows on the first floor, as shown in a drawing preserved at the Verona Public Library.

In the centuries that followed, the building underwent various renovations that significantly altered its appearance, particularly on the exterior.

The most significant changes were carried out in the first half of the 16th century at the behest of Bishop Gian Matteo Giberti. Among other things, he had the windows renovated—some of which bear his coat of arms—and had the San Michele-style portal built on the rear facade.

In September 1581, the palace hosted Empress Maria of Austria for one night as she traveled with her brother Maximilian from Bohemia to Spain. Among the nobles accompanying him were Don Ferrante Gonzaga, along with his wife, Donna Marta Tana, and their children Rodolfo, Isabella, and Luigi—the future saint. It appears, however, that the latter did not spend the night at the bishop’s residence, since his entourage had to stay in San Bonifacio due to a lack of rooms.

During the Napoleonic era, Bishop Giovanni Andrea Avogadro, in order to avoid submitting to the French, took refuge in the Monteforte palace in 1801, where he remained until 1805. His successor, Innocenzo Liruti, had the building restored after it had been damaged by the passage of French and Austrian troops.

At the end of World War II, the bishop’s residence was occupied by displaced and homeless families. The difficult situation led the bishop, Cardinal Giovanni Urbani, to sell the building to the Municipal Welfare Agency so that it could be used as a shelter for the elderly. The sale took place in 1955, and shortly thereafter the nursing home began operations.

In 2002, following the completion of the new building on the “brolo” property—which was acquired through a land swap with the “Don Mozzatti d’Aprili” Foundation, which manages the retirement home—the Bishop’s Palace became the property of the Municipality of Monteforte. Today it serves as a venue for cultural events, but its spaces can also host other types of events—such as weddings, gala dinners, conferences, meetings, and classes—upon request and subject to availability.