Quadrari Palace

The palace took its present form in the first half of the 19th century, when Giustino Quadrari had what was his father's house restored by an architect of the Vanvitelli school. The owner's initials (G Q) are beautifully displayed in the center of the main balcony. On the second floor are cross and pavilion vaults, some decorated with 18th- and 19th-century frescoes. Along the wall of the staircase are epigraphs from Roman times found in the San Donato area in which scholars such as Solin and Mommsen have taken an interest. Both have visited the town.

Giustino Quadrari (1802-1871) was a writer, an expert in archaeology and paleography, and a skilled interpreter of papyri. Ordained a priest in 1825, he had a fond admirer in Ferdinand II of Bourbon. Quadrari held important positions: president of the Royal Bourbon Library, Professor of the History of Councils (History of Religions) at the University of Naples and Member of the General Council of Public Education. In 1860 he followed King Francis II to Gaeta. After the fall of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the subsequent unification of Italy, Quadrari returned to San Donato.

On October 22, 1832, Quadrari received the appointment as papyrus interpreter of the Herculaneum Academy due to his skills in deciphering complex texts. He later became a corresponding member, an ordinary member and finally president of the Academy. He was also awarded the title of Knight of the Royal Order of Francis I.

In the late 19th century, Clementino Fabrizio, one of Italy's first socialist mayors and mayor of San Donato from 1896 to 1901, lived in the palace. Two of his distinguished party comrades stayed in the residence: Vittorio Lollini (1860-1924) and Filippo Turati (1857-1932). The latter was among the most important exponents of the labor movement and among the founders of the Italian Socialist Party.

Palazzo Quadrari still stands as a testament to the rich history of San Donato Val di Comino and the valuable intellectual contribution of Giustino Quadrari.