The Ducal Palace of Martina Franca was built in 1668 by Petracone V, duke of the Caracciolo family.
Petracone V was the first duke to reside permanently in Martina Franca. The project for the palace, entrusted to architect Giovanni Andrea Carducci from Bergamo, was intended to enhance not only the prestige but also the political, economic and artistic role of his family.
The initial project included as many as 300 rooms, as well as chapels, stables, court, theatre and guest quarters. However, owing to unsustainable costs, it was never completed. In 1773, his son Francis III completed the east part of the building.