Ducea Nelson in Bronte
The Bronte Castle, also known as the Nelson Duchy, is located on a flat land at the bottom of the valley on the left bank of the Saraceno stream.
The complex consists of a noble wing, once the residence of the Nelsons, improperly identified with the Castle, now transformed into a museum, the remains of the ancient Benedictine abbey dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, built by William II the Good, the small church of Santa Maria di Maniace, the ancient granaries, today a center of studies and congresses, and a large park.
The complex was built around 1173, probably on the ruins of a pre-existing Basilian building, by the will of Queen Margherita, for the purpose of celebrating the battle won by Giorgio Maniace against the Saracens. The abbey, by virtue of the privileges granted, had considerable income but, in the centuries following its foundation, it was reduced to a miserable state by the "comedatories". The earthquake that hit Eastern Sicily on 11 January 1693 also demolished many parts of the monastery and the Basilian fathers, who ruled the monastery, were forced to abandon it and move to Bronte. In 1799 the ancient Abbey of Santa Maria di Maniace was donated to Admiral Horatio Nelson by Ferdinand III as a prize of the suffocated Neapolitan republic.
The current plan is the final result of the Nelson's permanent settlement work, which took place from 1799 to 1981: it is articulated on an annular plan with a quadrangular perimeter with buildings with one and two elevations, aligned along the perimeter fronts, overlooking the countryside , on the park and on the two internal rectangular courtyards.
From the access portico you reach a first courtyard where you can find the lava stone cross erected in memory of Horace Nelson. On the right is the late Norman church of Santa Maria, the square courtyard with a lava stone well, around which the warehouses, stables, granary and other service areas were gathered. On the left, on the upper floor, were the noble apartments of the Nelsons.
L’ala gentilizia si articola in un lungo corridoio che disimpegna tutte le stanze, esposte a ponente sul giardino inglese, nelle quali si trovano la maggior parte degli arredi lasciati dagli eredi della famiglia Nelson. Assume l'aspetto di un vero e proprio percorso museale ricco di cimeli, reperti archeologici, con le pareti coperte di quadri e marine giganti che descrivono le vittorie di Nelson.
Dal primo cortile si accede al giardino inglese, voluto dai Nelson. Questo ha un’estensione di circa cinquemila metri quadrati ed è caratterizzato dalla presenza di piante secolari piante, quali cipressi, palme, salici, frassini, ippocastani, magnolie, e da un verde prato inglese contornato da glicini, rose e fiori e piante varie. All'esterno, di fronte all’ingresso della Ducea, si estende invece un parco, diviso da un viale centrale che, ospita un museo all’aperto di sculture in pietra lavica con opere di artisti di fama mondiale.
Nel parco si vedono ancora i resti del borgo contadino, denominato "Borgo Caracciolo" costruito dal 1941 al 1944 dallo stato italiano e successivamente demolito nel 1964 dalle ruspe degli eredi Nelson.
