On very special and limited occasions, Palace of the Elephants, home to the Comune di Catania, opened its doors to welcome citizens and tourists, meeting with great appreciation and success. The initiative was promoted by the Municipality of Catania as part of the recent Agatha festivities and on the occasion of the festival of The streets of the Treasures. The palace preserves the historical memory of the city but also precious treasures. Here's what they are.
The ancient Senatorial Palace
The building we see today was built on a previous building called Senatorial Palace, of sixteenth-century origin, which had a totally different shape from the current palace and was the headquarters of the management of city politicsThe administrators met under a portico which took the name of Loggia al palazzo comunale. The building collapsed during the 1693 earthquakeThe city administration wanted to erect a new building that would contrast, aesthetically and otherwise, with the Palace of the Clerics, the ancient seat of the church's power and which would fit harmoniously into the context of the square that was being created.
Palazzo degli Elefanti in Catania, the monumental building designed by Vaccarini
Numerous architects took part in its construction in 1696 at different times: the original project was carried out by John the Baptist Longobard in 1696. He later took care of revolutionizing the project Giovan Battista Vaccarini, architect of the reconstruction of Catania, who created the east, south and west facades while the north one is the work of Carmelo Battaglia.
The building's structure is modeled after typical 1700th-century palaces, with a square floor plan and an internal courtyard. It extends over two floors. Its name comes from the fact that the main floor features the city's symbols: a tribute to Agatha and a reference to the elephant. It's worth remembering that Vaccarini modified the Byzantine stone elephant and grafted it onto a fountain.
The façade is characterized by decorations reminiscent of elephant tusks, which are featured as decorative elements on the six trabeated balconies with classical elements. The use of rustication is evident on the lower level, albeit with a variation that differs from the original Florentine style. The imposing doorway overlooking Piazza Duomo, designed by Vaccarini, is constructed with two pairs of granite columns supporting the balcony, surmounted by two allegorical figures representing Justice and Faith.
With Vaccarini's design, the building became the strategic center of Piazza Duomo. The Palermo architect intended it to be a community building, and for this reason he created entrance gates on all four sides.
Other features of the Palace
Next to the main door, on the left side there are two particular engravings that often go unnoticed: they are the tile and the upper, units of measurement used in the 1700th century to measure leather and fabrics in order to ensure that citizens could check the price of these products resold in nearby historic markets.
The palace is accessed after entering a hall that welcomes eighteenth-century carriages who parade on the occasion of the feast of Sant'Agata, characterized by cross arches and loggias. There is also a bas-relief here, dating back to 1400, depicting Agatha seated on a throne holding the palm of martyrdom and a prayer tablet. The iconic inscription was later placed above it. NOLI OFFENDING PATRIAM AGATHAE, connected to the legend of Frederick II. Next to it is the votive lamp that is lit every February 2nd by the archbishop in the presence of the city authorities.
The interior and additions
The interior of the building is accessed from the main entrance through a decorated wrought iron gate that leads into a quadrangular courtyard with porticoes on two sides.
The main staircase, shaped like pincers, which opens onto the courtyard dates back to the 19th century and is Stefano Ittar. It is one monumental staircase made of Carrara marble with elements that are linked to theArt Nouveau, visible above all in the bronze chandeliers in the shape of women, scattered throughout the most important spaces. The decorations on the marble railing, with ovals and , are also noteworthy. The interior is dominated by marble and stucco.
We remember that the palace was devastated by thearson attack of 1944 , was later rebuilt and reopened in 1952, enriched with works. Today it houses many important historical and artistic treasures.
The rooms usually visited are those on the first floor: the vestibule, the council chamber, the Bellini room, the mayor's room, the corridors, and the city council chamber.
The precious treasures of Giuseppe Sciuti
The palace houses many works by the painter from Zafferana Joseph Sciuti (pseudonym of Giuseppe Sciuto), the greatest Sicilian fresco artist of the 1800th century, which constitute a permanent exhibition of the artist.
These large canvases depict iconic scenes from Roman history, the Italian Resurgence, stories of saints, and the Bible. Inside the Sciuti palace are: Julius Caesar Receiving the Head of Pompey on the grand staircase; "The Adulteress," "Episode of Carlo Pisacane's Expedition to Sapri," "Saint Sebastian after the First Martyrdom" in the meeting room; "Restauratio Aerarii" in the Bellini Room, and other works along the corridors on the first floor.
The meeting room is dedicated to the painter.
Other precious treasures of great importance
The monumental staircase leads to the vestibule, which also houses the armchair on which Pope John Paul II sat during his visit to Catania in 1994, and the various rooms embellished among other things by the paintings of Sciuti, the frescoes of Contrafatto or the works of Emilio Greco and other artists such as Natale Attanasio, Carlo Sada, Michael Rapisardi, and other artists.
The collection includes works from the 1600th, 1700th, and 1880s, as well as contemporary works. The palace also serves as a museum. Numerous waiting rooms are furnished in Baroque and Rococo style.
The palace also houses a display case containing the city's silk and gold banner, donated by the Lyceum Club and paraded on important occasions. The people of Messina, who stayed in the palace after the 1908 earthquake, donated a canvas depicting the Madonna della Lettera to the city.
There are also prints, marble busts, and wooden paintings, which enrich the value of the building.
The Mayors' Corridor
There is also the Mayors' Corridor which with its particular loggia-like covering houses the portraits of the mayors of Catania since 1956 and there is the stained glass window with the "treasures" of Saint Agatha, created by Commander Maina which contains, among other objects, a relic of the arm of St. Agatha, a silver plate, jewels, an onyx Christ, a mother-of-pearl crucifix, Chinese porcelain vases, miniatures, banners, and even the ring that the bishop usually wears on the occasion of the Agatha festivities (every year there is a ceremony that sees the ring removed from the case and given to the bishop, who wears it for the duration of the celebrations and then it is put away); the bell that starts the work of the city council after each new election, etc.
The treasures of Sala Bellini
La Bellini Hall, the reception hall of the palace, is dedicated to the Catania Swan and houses the canvas by Sciuti, the bronze works depicting Bellini by Emilio Greco but also other precious furnishings such as the mirror, the paintings underneath, the small sitting rooms, the inlaid marble table, the 1700th-century console tables with candelabras, the Flemish tapestry made in Messina and dated between 1600 and 1700. It features marble and stucco decorations.
The mayor's room
The mayor's room features inlaid solid wood furniture, Caltagirone ceramic vases, ceramic, glass, and bronze elephants, and paintings related to Saint Agatha. Also eye-catching is the fresco on the ceiling depicting Agatha in glory surrounded by the Muses.
The frescoes of the council chamber
The council chamber, previously named after Verga, was renamed after Falcone and Borsellino after the Capaci massacre. It is the work of Francesco Contraffatto Here, he demonstrates his talent: he depicts the Catanian shield with the A for Agatha held by the Muses, the city's attributes, and the homage to Literature and Science on the right and left. At the top, he depicts the people of Catania participating in the city assemblies, gathered in a structure reminiscent of the Abbey of Saint Agatha. Green dominates, achieved by mixing colors and local leaves. The artist is depicted from behind but with a grin in the fresco on the left, dedicated to Literature.
These are the treasures that tell us about our city.
cover photo of S. Portale
