Starting in the 16th century , wealthy families and even Italian nobility built elaborate summer palaces on the outskirts of the town . Among the most notable of these is the Palazzo Materazzo , renovated in the 1970s as a dance school , but later taken over by squatters after the 1980 Irpinia earthquake destroyed the homes of many of the poorer residents . In the 19th century , and continuing into the early 20th century , Torre del Greco was a popular summer resort for wealthy Italians
1980 Irpinia earthquake
1980 Irpinia earthquake
Torre del Greco