HOTEL - RISTORANTE VECCHIA VIBO

The Palazzo di Francia is located at the northern end of the historic center of Vibo Valentia, on the top of Via Gioacchino Murat. It was built at the end of the century XVIII and designed by Giovan Battista Vinci. The palace and the adjoining park was declared of considerable historical and artistic environmental interest and was protected by  the Ministerial Decree of 30 May 1981.The building was originally equipped with a symmetry axis placed facing east west on the main access door. The complex wooden structure placed inside the masonry structure which was conferred and gives the building reliability to seismic action. The decision of Luca Vincenzo di Francia, General Treasurer of the Kingdom of the two Sicilies to build at the end of the XVIII century a new building in Monteleone, is linked to the seismic events of 1783 and to the damage suffered by his oldest residence.

The building constitutes one of the rare examples currently existing in Calabria, of a brickwork building with a wooden frame, application of that construction model reported in the "Istoria de 'tremuoti" by Giovanni Vivenzio according to the "Instructions for engineers commissioned in Further Calabria" .Luca Vincenzo di Francia never lived in his new building in Monteleone  given the political role he played, it was more than just a patrician residence, he wanted to be present in the Further Calabria, of the Bourbon crown. After Luca Vincenzo's death, the entire architectural complex was divided between the two heirs.
 
 The palace has hosted numerous rulers throughout its bicentennial history. In particular, in 1810, during his stay in Monteleone, King Joachim Murat was hosted there for a few days when he came to  Calabria to direct an expedition against Sicily (where King Ferdinand I had taken refuge under the protection of the British), despite the bloody battles along the coast without producing any definitive result. Leaving aside a precise description of the formative phases of the building (XVII-XX centuries), the events that have had a major impact on its original appearance are highlighted at the end of the XIX century on the main floor, the wings north and south  of the building.  The north wing was enlarged and extended by about fifty meters when it became the home of the Marquis Diego; and the south wing with a similar intervention of smaller dimensions.