Valguarnera Gangi Palace in palermo
The Palazzo Valguarnera Gangi in Palermo can be considered one of the most representative palaces of the late Baroque of Palermo .
The palace was born from the expansion and reconfiguration of the Guzzetta palace already in property of Prince Pietro Valguarnera, exponent of one of the most prestigious families of the Sicilian aristocracy, around the middle of the 18th century. The Valguarnera family maintained ownership of the palace until 1820, when the princess Giovanna Valguarnera, the last heir of the prestigious family, married Giuseppe Mantegna, prince of Gangi, bringing him the magnificent residence as a dowry. The Gangi family still lives here, so the palace has preserved all its ancient splendor.
The palace was designed by the Trapani architect Andrea Gigante, while the interiors were worked on by numerous renowned artists, such as Interguglielmi, the Serenario, Fumagalli, Velasco and Marabitti.
The facade has a portal with two columns in gray stone and with the coat of arms of the Mantegna princes of Gangi family. Entering the palace leads to the porticoed courtyard from which the original entrance staircase with several flights begins, leading to the large vestibule with rich decorations. A front of the building overlooks Piazza Sant'Anna, with a suggestive hanging garden.
Entering the entrance hall, the spectacular series of halls begins where the eye is captured by the splendor of the precious furnishings, the refinement and the whimsy of the decorations, the furniture, the embroidered tapestries and the considerable number of objects, glassware and refined and rare porcelain.
The openwork vault of the great ballroom is of considerable value: an architecturally audacious structure inspired by the taste of the most scenographic baroque.
In the Palazzo the director Luchino Visconti shot the unforgettable dance sequence in the film “Il Gattopardo”.
