The palace was the first true palace in L’Aquila, marking the transition from medieval houses to Renaissance palaces, and is one of the symbols of 15th-century L’Aquila. It features splendid courtyards, colonnaded halls with wooden ceilings, and the small church of Santa Maria degli Angeli. For a century and a half, it has been the headquarters of the religious institute founded by the L’Aquila-born saint Barbara Micarelli. It is open to visitors, thanks to the generous hospitality of the Franciscan nuns who care for it and bring it to life through their religious and educational activities.