Inspired by their grandmother Antonia Fiermonte - a talented painter and violinist - and by her brother Enzo, a renowned boxer and actor, Fouad-Giacomo and Antonia-Yasmina Filali set out to retrace their journeys, beginning in Puglia.
It is a story of Italian migrants who, in the early 1900s, left Casamassima (Bari) and made their way to Rome. From there, Antonia traveled to Paris, where she married sculptor René Letourneur, and later, after a fewyears, embarked on a passionate love story with the eclectic artist Jacques Zwobada. Meanwhile, Enzo became a world-famous boxer in New York, where he met the wealthy heiress Lady Madeleine Astor, whom he married. Their journey eventually led them to Fès, Morocco, in 1955, where Antonia met Cadi Thami Filali, the father of Abdellatif, who later married Antonia’s daughter, Anne.
The Catholic artist from Puglia and the Muslim judge of Fès, through their meeting, demonstrated great tolerance and laid the foundations for a bridge of peace and dialogue, symbolizing openness and unity. This path, both spiritual and human, would unconsciously influence the lives of their grandchildren, Fouad-Giacomo and Antonia-Yasmina Filali. Inspired by this rich legacy, they created La Fiermontina Family Collection, a living tribute that reflects the fusion of cultures and individual stories, representing the diverse global influences of their family.
After opening two hotels in Lecce (La Fiermontina Luxury Home & the Palazzo Bozzi Corso), offering an apartment at Place Vendôme in Paris (La Fiermontina Vendôme), and launching a hotel near Tangier in Morocco (La Fiermontina Ocean), the Filali family has taken another bold step in honoring their artistic legacy. In the heart of Lecce’s historic center, they have opened the Fiermonte Museum, a space where the boundaries between museum and residence are blurred, allowing guests not only to admire art but to live within it.
Fiermonte Museum: Where Art Comes to Life
Housed in a beautifully restored 17th-century palazzo, the museum was created by Fouad-Giacomo and Antonia-Yasmina Filali as a tribute to their grandmother, the artist Antonia Fiermonte. The museum brings together sculptures, paintings, letters, and personal archives connected to Antonia and her artistic companions, sculptors René Letourneur and Jacques Zwobada. What truly makes the museum unique is the addition of four immersive suites, seamlessly integrated into the museum's space. These suites can also be booked together as a complete buyout for an exclusive experience.
Each suite has been designed as more than just a place to stay; it is an extension of the museum’s artistic vision.
The Suite Nocturne honors Antonia’s background as a violinist. This room is designed to invite guests into a world of music, with a deep blue ambiance that encourages introspection. Guests can create their own soundscapes using generative music apps on an iPad, making it a deeply personal and reflective experience.
The Suite Peplum is a tribute to Enzo Fiermonte’s film career, offering guests a cinematic journey. Equipped with an iPad, projector, and retractable screen, visitors can produce and display short video works using generative video tools. This suite subtly nods to Enzo’s transition from the boxing ring to the movie set.
The Suite Avantgarde celebrates the world of visual creativity. Flooded with natural light, it includes a painter’s easel, canvas, and materials, transforming the suite into a modern-day artist’s studio. Guests are encouraged to engage with the creative process, channeling the spirit of Antonia and the museum’s other artists to create their own works.
The Suite Marbre draws inspiration from the sculptural heritage of Letourneur and Zwobada. Designed with marble and bronze tones and textures, this room offers a more meditative atmosphere, focusing on the physicality of sculpture. Though less interactive than the other suites, it evokes a profound connection to the world of sculpture.
Staying at the Fiermonte Museum also includes a breakfast at the museum and have nighttime access to the museum with a lantern, an experience that blurs the line between art and life, inviting guests to connect with the legacy of the Fiermonte family in an intimate and unforgettable way. It’s an experience that feels like stepping into a film: picture walking through the quiet palazzo with a lantern in hand, sculptures casting long shadows, and the silence filled with the whispers of art. At the Fiermonte Museum, the experience doesn’t stop when the lights go out, art continues to speak, even in the stillness of the night.
