Villa Dorata Palace of Marzamemi
The Palazzo Villadorata is an elegant Baroque building, the center of the Tonnara di Marzamemi .
The palace was built in 1752 at the behest of Prince Villadorata and is surrounded by the ancient fishermen's houses.
Built in sandstone, the Villadorata residence looks like a simple facade, with a wooden entrance door whose portal is represented by an arch, with a key in the center with the family crest, surmounted by ancient stone gutters depicting human faces. At the top of the building stands a small tower with loopholes, decorated with pinnacles and various bas-reliefs depicting geometric motifs. The tower, in ancient times, was used to ward off any attacks on the village by pirate ships, later it became the summer terrace of the Villadorata family. Inside the structure there is an elegant courtyard, from which a two-flight stone staircase leads to the prince's rooms.
Today the courtyard of Palazzo Villadorata is used for the Frontier Film Festival, for the annual event " Calici di Stelle ”and numerous other municipal events.
The interior of the building was full of works of art, silverware and fine furniture. Unfortunately, during the Second World War, the prince's apartments were sacked.
On the back we find a second terrace overlooking the Camperia, the warehouse of the Tonnara. From here the prince, looking out, observed the work of the fishermen. The interior of the Camperia can now be visited: inside are preserved the "scieri", ancient boats for tuna fishing, and ancient tools used by fishermen.
Today the building has been the site of commercials and filming cinematographic, such as "Sud" by Gabriele Salvadores or the more recent "Caravaggio".
