Palazzo Spadaro Libertini
Palazzo Spadaro Libertini
The Palace consists of a baroque quadrilateral rebuilt after the partial collapse due to the earthquake of 1693, whose main entrance is located in Via San Bonaventura, a very central street on which the Palace is made up of 2 floors above the ground floor characterized by former warehouses that have become stores. The number 22 of Via San Bonaventura, which constitutes the main entrance of the Palace, has an imposing entrance hall through which you access a baroque courtyard, decorated with a fine fountain. On the sides of the fountain are the former stables which have become warehouses and, on the right side, a baroque staircase in Comiso stone illuminated by large windows and smaller “oculus” windows overlooking the internal courtyard. Going up the comfortable "horse" steps of the staircase leads to the first / mezzanine floor and the second and last floor.
The history of one of the oldest buildings in Caltagirone
Palazzo Spadaro Libertini is one of the oldest buildings in Caltagirone, rebuilt on a pre-existing sixteenth-century structure attributable to the unfinished palace that belonged to Bonaventura Secusio, bishop of Catania and diplomat born in Caltagirone in 1558. The reconstruction work was started in 1725 by Barbaro Maggiore Marquis of Santa Barbara and concluded in 1732.
The Palace is located in the historic center of Caltagirone in Via San Bonaventura 22, a few steps from the famous staircase of Santa Maria del Monte and near the splendid seventeenth-century church of San Bonaventura, which survived the terrible earthquake of 1693 which destroyed most of the monuments and palaces of eastern Sicily.
In 1871 a descendant of Barbaro Maggiore sold most of the Palace to the relative Michelangelo Libertini dei Baroni di S. Marco, Patrizio di Caltagirone, who made it, on the main floor of what is now the house number 22, his sumptuous residence which furnishes with white and gold lacquered fixtures and furniture produced in France like damasks and Aubusson rugs which are ordered respectively from the textile factories near Versailles and Aubusson specifically for the salons for which they are intended. The vaults of the Saloni, whose layout has been remodeled compared to the original one of the Maggiore, were decorated by the best local artists and enriched with paintings by Francesco Vaccaro, belonging to the renowned family of Calatini artists, authors of works present in churches and museums of Caltagirone up to the territory of Ragusa. The doors of the Representation Salons are in glass embellished with splendid paintings depicting exotic animals and flowers that recall the decorations of the vaults in a single inseparable decorative motif that makes the decoration of the spaces balanced.
The other part of the Palace, first floor and warehouses / shops, will then be inherited by another descendant of the Maggiore, by virtue of marriage, to the father of Count Michele Gravina, grandfather of the Spadaro di Passanitello heirs.
Michelangelo Libertini later donated the ownership of the Palace to his sons Gesualdo, an important politician at regional level and Senator of the Savoy Kingdom, and Francesca married to Baron Salvatore Spadaro di Passanitello. In the absence of direct descendants, Sen. Gesualdo Libertini will leave all the heritage and the Palace to his nephew Francesco Spadaro di Passanitello, son of his sister Francesca, a distinguished historian, heraldist and archaeologist and unforgettable mayor of Caltagirone.
The Palace which was previously called Palazzo Libertini, will take the name of Palazzo Spadaro Libertini or Palazzo Spadaro for brevity.
In the Representation Salons, the meetings of the Arcadian colony founded in Caltagirone by the son of Barbaro Maggiore, Giuseppe were held in the second half of the eighteenth century and later became the political and cultural salon of Sen. Libertini, a prominent and worthy politician, who died in 1948. Subsequently, by choice of ownership, the Halls of the Palace became the seat of primary institutions and, also in the context of this destination, they welcomed important personalities from the world of literature and politics not only Sicilian but also nationally ".
The Arch. Alvise Spadaro Gravina a well-known art historian, a great connoisseur of Caravaggio, "ceded the baton" of all the representative part of the noble floor as a part of significant artistic, historical and cultural value of the Palace (thanks to which in 2001 the Palace has been declared a monumental asset of significant artistic interest) to cousin Lara Marina Gravina from the Belmonte Beaumont branch, who thus received the responsibility of "bringing the heart of the Palace back to life". In the context, therefore, of a generational transfer in the family which sees the Maggiore, Libertini, Spadaro and Gravina families, Avv. Lara Marina Gravina di Belmonte, born in Milan and living there but deeply linked to the millennial Sicilian roots and traditions of the Gravina family, together with her mother Gemma, has thus undertaken the complete restoration of all the representation part together with that of other parts of the Palace.
Today the representative part of Palazzo Spadaro Libertini has returned to live for an act of love not only towards its origins but towards the city of Caltagirone and beloved Sicily, as a testimony that the origins are a part of us that none distance can erase. Just the spirit of "reviving what seemed to be destined to be forgotten" convinced Lara and Gemma Gravina di Belmonte to combine the destination of the Residence as a "delightful" private home with that of a location for "special" events and moments intended to a selected public, able to appreciate the history as well as the splendor of the places.
Services
The representative part of Palazzo Spadaro Libertini can host events such as concerts, exhibitions, conferences / meetings and photographic, advertising and film sets. The dedicated spaces are:
- 5 salons so named according to the decorations and tapestries that characterize them:
of Coats of Arms, of Marbles, Yellow, of Mirrors or Red and Blue.
The exceptional acoustics of the Hall of Mirrors and the Yellow Hall make it the ideal space for
concerts and lyrical recitals that have made it possible to successfully organize special events with world opera stars for a selected audience.
- Entrance to the halls called "Castle" characterized by a wall dating back to the time of Roger I dominated by a vaulted ceiling, which therefore offers a suggestive "medieval" atmosphere ideal as an exhibition space and for cocktails or feet buffets.
In addition / integration to the spaces described above and preferably in the afternoon / evening hours, it is possible to carry out part of the outdoor events (e.g. welcome aperitif) by stopping guests in the hall of the Palace, in the suggestive baroque courtyard and in one of the former stables with access from the courtyard, fully restored.
The staircase in precious Comiso stone that leads to the floors lends itself to being a decidedly scenographic set for shooting and filming.
The property is however available to evaluate the performance of any further types of events that may be proposed, if deemed appropriate for the respect of the preciousness of the places.
The property has an emergency exit on a back alley / alley and fire protection devices (fire extinguishers).
For events and everything that must take place in the Palace, the property prefers to make its staff available to accredit and welcome guests, order service and security, who knows the spaces well and relies on their own catering that can offer a service. quality .
Smoking is prohibited in all rooms
Visit
In some periods of the year it is possible to book visits for groups of minimum 8 people. The visit price is to be agreed based on the number of participants.
Caltagirone, UNESCO heritage
the Palace is located in the historic center of Caltagirone, a baroque city in the Val di Noto. The historic center of Caltagirone was recognized as a UNESCO heritage site in 2002.
