Villa Spedalotto

A holiday residence located on a hill on the edge of the Solanto plain, surrounded by olive and citrus groves. The one-storey house is built around an open courtyard, with two service bodies branching off from the main body, at the center of which is a Neoclassical-style pronaos. Commissioned in 1783 by Don Barbaro Arezzo to the architect Giovanni Emanuele Incardona (or Cardona, active in Palermo from 1775 to 1820), it was built between 1784 and 1793. The designer was a pupil of the architect Giuseppe Venanzio Marvuglia, the greatest exponent of Neoclassicism in Sicily. In 1790, still under construction, it was bought by Onofrio Emanuele Paternò, Baron of Spedalotto. The interiors are frescoed in a style between the Neoclassical-Pompeian and the Empire, and are attributed to Elia Interguglielmi. In 1845 the current flooring of the terrace was laid, in white and blue two-tone majolica from Vietri, while between 1900 and 1902 the floors inside were replaced. The central part of the façade, partially damaged by an Allied air raid in 1943, was rebuilt in 1945. From 9 October to 9 December 1799, the hereditary royal princes Francesco di Borbone (future King Francesco I) were hosted with his wife Maria Clementina of Habsburg, and daughter Maria Carolina (future Duchess of Berry). The royal family, fled from Naples for the revolution of 1799, was divided between Villa Spedalotto (the royal princes) and Villa Valguarnera (the sovereigns Ferdinando I and Maria Carolina). Subsequently, Francesco II of Bourbon, duke of Calabria, and Luigi Filippo d’Orleans, future king of the French, will stay there. Tradition has it that Ferdinand II of Bourbon, King of the Two Sicilies, was born in this Villa in 1810, but official historiography indicates that he was born in Palermo, in the Royal Palace. During the 1870s, the Jesuit astronomer Father Angelo Secchi often stayed here and, a friend of the Marquis of Spedalotto, used the terrace for his observations. On 30 March 1987, the marriage between the Duke of Aosta Amedeo of Savoy and Silvia Paternò of the Marquises of Regiovanni, Marquises of Spedalotto and Counts of Prades was celebrated in the chapel of the Villa (Palermo, 31 December 1953). In 1991 it was the location for some scenes of the film Johnny Stecchino by Roberto Benigni. During the 1870s the Jesuit astronomer Father Angelo Secchi often stayed here and, a friend of the Marchese di Spedalotto, used the terrace for his observations. On 30 March 1987, the marriage between the Duke of Aosta Amedeo of Savoy and Silvia Paternò of the Marquises of Regiovanni, Marquises of Spedalotto and Counts of Prades was celebrated in the chapel of the Villa (Palermo, 31 December 1953). In 1991 it was the location for some scenes of the film Johnny Stecchino by Roberto Benigni. During the 1870s the Jesuit astronomer Father Angelo Secchi often stayed here and, a friend of the Marchese di Spedalotto, used the terrace for his observations. On 30 March 1987, the marriage between the Duke of Aosta Amedeo of Savoy and Silvia Paternò of the Marquises of Regiovanni, Marquises of Spedalotto and Counts of Prades was celebrated in the chapel of the Villa (Palermo, 31 December 1953). In 1991 it was the location for some scenes of the film Johnny Stecchino by Roberto Benigni. Marquises of Spedalotto and Counts of Prades (Palermo, 31 December 1953). In 1991 it was the location for some scenes of the film Johnny Stecchino by Roberto Benigni. Marquises of Spedalotto and Counts of Prades (Palermo, 31 December 1953). In 1991 it was the location for some scenes of the film Johnny Stecchino by Roberto Benigni.

The Villa is located in the municipality of Santa Flavia, near Bagheria.

In depth

Villa Spedalotto is a holiday residence located on a hill on the edge of the Solanto plain, surrounded by olive and citrus groves. The one-storey house is built around an open courtyard, with two service bodies branching off from the main body, at the center of which is a Neoclassical-style pronaos. Commissioned in 1783 by Don Barbaro Arezzo to the architect Giovanni Emanuele Incardona (or Cardona, active in Palermo from 1775 to 1820), it was built between 1784 and 1793. The designer was a pupil of the architect Giuseppe Venanzio Marvuglia, the greatest exponent of Neoclassicism in Sicily. In 1790, still under construction, it was bought by Onofrio Emanuele Paternò, Baron of Spedalotto. The interiors are frescoed in a style between the Neoclassical-Pompeian and the Empire, and are attributed to Elia Interguglielmi. In 1845 the current flooring of the terrace was laid, in white and blue two-tone majolica from Vietri, while between 1900 and 1902 the floors inside were replaced. The central part of the façade, partially damaged by an Allied air raid in 1943, was rebuilt in 1945. From 9 October to 9 December 1799, the hereditary royal princes Francesco di Borbone (future King Francesco I) were hosted with his wife Maria Clementina of Habsburg, and daughter Maria Carolina (future Duchess of Berry). The royal family, fled from Naples for the revolution of 1799, was divided between Villa Spedalotto (the royal princes) and Villa Valguarnera (the sovereigns Ferdinando I and Maria Carolina). Subsequently, Francesco II of Bourbon, duke of Calabria, and Luigi Filippo d’Orleans, future king of the French, will stay there. Tradition has it that Ferdinand II of Bourbon, King of the Two Sicilies, was born in this Villa in 1810, but official historiography indicates that he was born in Palermo, in the Royal Palace. During the 1870s, the Jesuit astronomer Father Angelo Secchi often stayed here and, a friend of the Marquis of Spedalotto, used the terrace for his observations. On 30 March 1987, the marriage between the Duke of Aosta Amedeo of Savoy and Silvia Paternò of the Marquises of Regiovanni, Marquises of Spedalotto and Counts of Prades was celebrated in the chapel of the Villa (Palermo, 31 December 1953). In 1991 it was the location for some scenes of the film Johnny Stecchino by Roberto Benigni. During the 1870s the Jesuit astronomer Father Angelo Secchi often stayed here and, a friend of the Marchese di Spedalotto, used the terrace for his observations. On 30 March 1987, the marriage between the Duke of Aosta Amedeo of Savoy and Silvia Paternò of the Marquises of Regiovanni, Marquises of Spedalotto and Counts of Prades was celebrated in the chapel of the Villa (Palermo, 31 December 1953). In 1991 it was the location for some scenes of the film Johnny Stecchino by Roberto Benigni. During the 1870s the Jesuit astronomer Father Angelo Secchi often stayed here and, a friend of the Marchese di Spedalotto, used the terrace for his observations. On 30 March 1987, the marriage between the Duke of Aosta Amedeo of Savoy and Silvia Paternò of the Marquises of Regiovanni, Marquises of Spedalotto and Counts of Prades was celebrated in the chapel of the Villa (Palermo, 31 December 1953). In 1991 it was the location for some scenes of the film Johnny Stecchino by Roberto Benigni. Marquises of Spedalotto and Counts of Prades (Palermo, 31 December 1953). In 1991 it was the location for some scenes of the film Johnny Stecchino by Roberto Benigni. Marquises of Spedalotto and Counts of Prades (Palermo, 31 December 1953). In 1991 it was the location for some scenes of the film Johnny Stecchino by Roberto Benigni.