La Rocca Palace a Ragusa
The Palazzo La Rocca is located in the heart of Ragusa Ibla, behind the Cathedral of San Giorgio.
It was built in 1760 in place of the ancient residences of the La Rocca family, some traces of which are preserved in the basement of the building.
The façade is characterized by eight late-Baroque style balconies where the mastery of local artisans is expressed. Each balcony is supported by three finely decorated shelves. Various scenes that we can appreciate with human figures, caricatures and floral decorations, all of particular expressiveness as if to seek a continuous dialogue with the observer.
Starting from Piazza Duomo, in the first balcony you can observe a horn player in the center and two cherubs on the sides; on the second balcony, a telamon that effortlessly supports the balcony; in the third balcony a couple embracing flanked by two couples of children caressing each other; in the fourth balcony there are Corinthian sculptures which constitute the final part of the semi-pillars that flank the central door; in the fifth balcony there is a woman with a child flanked by two masks; in the sixth a guitar player; the seventh balcony has a flute player in the center flanked by a little face that seems to have a sad expression, and a mask; the eighth balcony is characterized by three corbels, each made up of two superimposed subjects, a bespectacled gentleman topped by one carrying a barrel on his shoulder, a mask with some feathers on the hat dominated by another holding a sword; a bearded mask dominated by a carrier of geese.
The atrium of the building is valuable, past the door you can admire a double flight of steps, in pitch stone with the floor decorated with inserts in white limestone and majolica.
