Majorana della Nicchiara Palace in Militello in Val di Catania
Majorana della Nicchiara Palace in Militello in Val di Catania, also known as the Palace of the Lions, is a rare and valuable example of 16th-century civil architecture.
The palace stands in Via Porta della Terra and overlooks, with its imposing mass, the large square of Santa Maria della Stella. It was commissioned by the noble Barresi family as the seat of the juror court and the captain's court, which represented the two main administrative bodies of the city. Over the centuries it has changed ownership several times, belonging, among many, to the Majorana-Cocuzzella barons of Nicchiara.
The imposing 16th-century palace, although subject to alterations over the centuries, still features the original rusticated cornerstones enriched by austere medieval stone lions that come from older buildings.
