Beneventano Palace of Lentini

Il Beneventano Palace of Lentini, silent witness of one of the richest and most powerful families in Sicily.

The Beneventano Palace in Lentini is the place of residence of one of the richest and most powerful families in Sicily, the Benevento. In the XNUMXth century, the barons commissioned the architect Carlo Sada to build an imposing building with finely decorated reception rooms to surpass the other noble palaces on the island in beauty and magnificence. The Palace therefore becomes the symbol of family and accompanies the barons on their journey through the history of the country. Over the centuries it has undergone phases of splendor and abandonment before recently being reborn as a cultural hub.

The history of Lentini and the construction of Palazzo Beneventano

Il Palace Benevento is situated in Lentini in Province of Syracuse and was built in the XNUMXth century to become the residence of the Orsileo family, a branch of the Orsini family, who changed their name to Beneventano after living in the Campania town for a few years.
However, due to disagreements with the local nobility, the barons abandoned the city and settled in Sicily where they hoped to have better luck. In fact, to repopulate Lentini destroyed by a violent earthquake in 1693, the sovereign promised support and help to the nobles and peasants willing to move. The people of Benevento who arrived in the city chose to build the Palace in Badia district, an area that owes its toponym to the Church of the Holy Trinity, called "abbatia" in late Latin. The area is already occupied by the remains of an ancient XNUMXth century complex of which thearchitect Carlo Sada already designer of the Massimo Bellini theater in Catania, manages to preserve part of the original structure and then give shape to a building of rare beauty.

The magnificence of the Palace and its slow decline until a new rebirth

The Beneventano Palace becomes the most important and sumptuous noble residence in Sicily.

It has 50 rooms spread over two floors which cover a surface area of ​​approximately 1700 mXNUMX in addition to a large internal courtyard and various external spaces. The north entrance overlooks Etna and allows access to a courtyard containing the service rooms on the ground floor such as warehouses, stables and servants' quarters.

An imposing white marble staircase connects the ground floor with the main floor organized according to the layouts of the most illustrious residences of the time. The reception rooms enriched with mosaic floors and frescoes are arranged in a row and from the long corridor you have an overall view of the residence which has a dining room, a living room, several lounges and accommodation used to welcome guests. At the end of the corridor is the "hall of mirrors" where large receptions and dance parties are organised, special occasions where the nobility gathers for social events.

The right wing of the main floor is reserved for the private rooms of the barons, here the rooms are less sumptuous and more sober. The Beneventans established important relationships and accumulated great wealth, but with the XNUMXth century financial decline began and the Palace followed the fate of the family.

In 1976 the property was sold and purchased by the municipality of Lentini and then experienced a rebirth in 2016 when it was renovated and today it is home to modern art exhibitions, a study centre, a bookshop and several educational laboratories.

What to see in Lentini and the surrounding areas

La Mother Church of Santa Maria La Cava and Sant'Alfio it is located in the historic center of the city. The building built after the earthquake in 1693, is in Baroque and is designed by architect Vella from Malta. The Regional archaeological museum of Lentini instead it preserves the most ancient history of the town and the surrounding lands. In fact, the exhibition presents finds from prehistory to the Middle Ages found in the San Mauro valley. Of considerable interest is the Sicilian artistic production with ceramics with open and closed shapes and the red and black colors typical of the Greek colonists from Attica.

Not far from Lentini there is theArchaeological area of ​​Castellaccio, a fortified structure from the Norman era protected by hills and cliffs. The architect of Frederick II of Swabia, Riccardo da Lentini, designed the castle following the natural forms of the territory and adapted the building to a previous construction from the Greek era. On the site it is possible to see the remains of a circular castrum with the hypogeum room which in the past was connected to caves, while outside there are two water cisterns. A few steps from the castle there is a cave, a place of worship called "oratory of Santa Lucia", used between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries by nuns.

How to reach Palazzo Beneventano

The Palazzo Beneventano is located in the heart of the historic center of Lentini at n.4 of Via San Francesco d'Assisi. The Palace can be reached from Syracuse with the E45 towards Lentini. At the Carlentini-Lentini exit, take the SS194 and continue towards Via San Francesco d'Assisi.