Battiloro Ducal Palace or “The Castle”, as called by the natives of Petacciato, is located in the center of the town square, next to the Church of St. Mary. In the past, it was a fortress and it lived a less elegant period: it was under the property of Battiloro family as a granary. Now the fortress is like a noble house in which is possible to enter crossing a walled garden. The structure is modest and presents, as the only antique element, the battlement dating back to 800 required by Ortensio of Avalos.
The Palace is located in a less strategic position compared to other fortresses in the region. The presence of brackets refers the construction to the medieval period, but over the centuries it has undergone restoration work that has altered the ancient military structure. The building was made of stone but now it has some parts plastered. The building’s plant is quadrangular and it is different from the original fortress character. On the west side, it is still possible to see the hooks used to lift the drawbridge that was moved with a pulleys system and its presence suggests that the fortress was formerly bounded by a moat. Its solid walls, as well as the classical towers with defensive character, suggest that the Palace has Norman origin. The facades are characterized by intervals of rectangular windows delimited by stone frames.
The sources indicate that in 1463, Battiloro Ducal Palace suffered a violent attack by Antonio Caldora, with the consequence that not just the palace but also the residential area were destroyed. During the second half of the 19th century, the palace was improved with the elevation of another floor, required by Ortensia Countess of Avalos. The owners removed all the architectural elements relating to medieval period and for the construction was used the material recovered from the quarries of Petacciato. A detailed description of the structure was made in 1906: The building was erected on two floors below which there were underground rooms used for cellars and arms storage. It had two gardens with precious plants and trees, it was elegantly furnished, there were furniture and furnishings of great value, in the ground floor hall were organized parties and ceremonies as well as bash meat banquets, the bedrooms were decorated by statues, mummified animals, collections of coins and ancient arms.
For many years the Palace has been close, but since April of 2016, the Palace restoration has begun. The aim is to convert it in a center for cultural and tourist activities, as well as media library. The facilities and the necessary to make it again an integral part of city life will be installed.