Cancelleria Palce in Ragusa
Palazzo Nicastro , also known as Palazzo della Cancelleria , is one of the most interesting civil buildings in Ragusa Ibla .
The palace was built, or perhaps more probably rebuilt by the Nicastro family after the earthquake of 1693 and the works had to be completed in 1760, as shown by the date engraved on the main façade. In 1840 the building became the seat of the “chancellery”, that is the town hall.
The main façade overlooks a small square where two branches of the long staircase converge. The façade is characterized by a portal with a semicircular arch that with its strongly projecting lines emerges from the space marked by two sculpted half-pillars. Above the portal, there is a circular window and above it a balcony supported by five shelves embroidered with squares and rhombuses still in the seventeenth-century style, which draw three large volutes, behind the wrought iron railing. The opening is framed by two pilasters, with cherubic faces and surmounted by a gable with broken lines. On the side facade two other balconies supported by corbels similar to those of the front facade. On the two sides you can also see some pilasters ending with composite capitals.
