English writer Edward Lear (1812-1888) undertook a journey across the southern provinces of the Reign of Naples and was Barons Rapolla’s guest when in Venosa. In his Journey in Basilicata – 1847 he described minutely the house and usi of one of the most important family of the time:

“It is a large house extending into a huge courtyard wherein the granaries and barns and a myriad of… domestic animals reveal the owner’s wealth. […] We have been invited to enter pretty comfortable rooms, with huge beds, mirrors, wardrobes and many other commodities surely unknown at Horatio’s times. Then we got ready for dinner, in our best garments too, in order to conform ourselves to our hosts, Lords of Spain in Naples, and to the good taste of the house”.

Situated behind Piazza Orazio, halfway between Pirro del Balzo Castle and the Sant’Andrea’s Cathedral, in between the political and religious power, “Palazzo Rapolla”, since 2015 is hosts Porta Coeli’s premises. The XVII century Rapolla Barons’s residential complex, is a special case of noble residence, since it features a wide and complex private space serving a number of buildings, instead of a simple atrium. The width and articulation of the residential complex are to be related to factory activities that until the XIX century used spaces for storage and distribution of salt and gunpowder. The palace has more than one access opened on the streets that surround it; the most important one is in Vico San Domenico, and is made up of a portal inserted into a high wall with feritoie; the portal, preceded by two small pillars, is enough wide so as to allow means of transport.

The part of the palace destined to noble residence, that nowadays host Ports Coeli International Art Gallery’s exhibition spaces, with the Academy and the Study Centre for Mediterranean culture, is situated on one side of the courtyard, along via Sallustio.