Giuseppe Moscati was born on the 7/25/1880 in Benevento, where his father, a judge, had been promoted President of Court. Moscati's family lived in this 18th century building, Palazzo Rotondi Andreotti Leo (via Port'Aurea), near the Trajan's Arch. (image 1 and 2)
The marble plaque that commemorates him was set there in 1947, twenty years after his death. The italian inscription reads as follows: "IN QUESTA CASA / IL 25 LUGLIO 1880 / NASCEVA / GIUSEPPE MOSCATI / APOSTOLO NELLA SUA MISSIONE DI MEDICO / CONGIUNSE LA PAROLA E L'OPERA SUBLIME / DELLA FEDE CRISTIANA / ALLA SCIENZA IN CUI FU MAESTRO / - / NEL VENTENNALE DELLA MORTE". His fame of Medicine luminary and his Christian goodness had left a deep trace in the heart of his fellow-citizens. (image 3)
The great building shows the typical structure with two floors (the ground floor for the servants and the kitchen, and the noble floor for the family). The imposing façade is embellished by the stony coverings and decorums and doric columns, placed on the sides of the front door, supporting the ample balcony of representation. The whole architectural style recalls the elegance and the sobriety of the greatest buildings of Benevento, belonging to notable men and ancient aristocratic families. (image 4)
The balconies of the noble floor that lean out in the ample internal court are delimited by plasters and columns drawn with signs of capitals supporting an architrave, surmounted by the escutcheon. They vaguely suggest a Baroque taste, however reorganized by the reduced measure of the balconies' ampleness, that brings to a more intimate and cosy dimension, in accordance with Moscati's life style. (image 5)
The great front door, which allowed to pass even the carriage, preserves even after the restorations the charm of the original materials and the upper part radiating design finalized for the dissemination of light. It opens on the inner courtyard, all paved in lava stone, suitable for the stamping of horses.(image 6)
The wide stairway of low stone steps leads to the noble floor, illuminated by natural light from the side windows. (image7)
- Photo by Eugenio Federico Simeone (December 2009)
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