The Jesuits built a College in Monopoli in 1613: this was made possible thanks to the generosity of one of their novices and fellow Monopoli citizen, Giov. Antonio Guida, (of the late Giov. Battista and Antonia Esperti); on 13 August 1611, through the deed of Notary Caiasso, Antonio Guida donated to the Company 1,000 ducats and the houses he had inherited from his father (bordering the vicinal strettula (today Vico dei Gesuiti), the public street Amalfitana and the public square. On 19 April 1616, the foundation stone of the Jesuit church was laid.
The College was an institution (corresponding to the modern Gymnasium and Lyceum) that was completely free of charge and the arrival of the Jesuits, as well as the opening of a College, was seen in a positive light in Monopoli, as there was a lack of schoolmasters.
The institution became operational in what is now Via Amalfitana, but was immediately in competition with the seminary inaugurated by Bishop Cavalieri in '66. After a forced closure of the College, first around 1625, then in 1671 due to a dreadful famine, the order became rich and powerful again in the 1700s, when - 'with their Schools, Sermons and spiritual exercises, they are of great benefit to the City, teaching and disciplining the young in Latin and Greek' - until the season of reforms of Minister Tanucci produced the decree of expulsion from the Kingdom of Naples (1767).
The few Fathers of Monopoli were violently torn from their House and their work; on the night of 19-20 November, they were loaded onto boats, together with the others, and abandoned on the coast of the Papal State. Later, their assets were purchased by private individuals.
The rich Library, present inside the building, partly formed the first nucleus of what is now the National Library of Bari; the College, on the other hand, was reduced to private houses (such as the rusticated portal in Via Amalfitana); the Church, sold in lots, was partly demolished, in Piazza Garibaldi.

We also know that in 1821 the church and college belonged to Concetta Manfredi, who married Baron Ghezzi, a future protagonist of the Risorgimento events of 1848.
Today it is possible to see the entrance portal, or rather, what remains of the adjoining portal, rich in side friezes that end in a large central window.

CREDITS: Comune di Monopoli.