Villa Malfitano Whitaker
| Villa Malfitano Whitaker | |
|---|---|
 Villa Malfitano Whitaker, façade | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Status | Headquarters of the |
| Type | Villa |
| Architectural style | Neo-Renaissance and Eclecticism |
| Location | Palermo, Sicily, Italy |
| Address | , 167 |
| Construction started | 1886 |
| Completed | 1889 |
| Client | Joseph Whitaker |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | |
Villa Malfitano Whitaker is a 19th-century rural palace located in , in the quarter of of Palermo, Sicily. It is presently a museum displaying Whitaker's natural history and archaeological collections, as well as his artwork.
History[]
The villa was built between 1886 and 1889 for the Anglo-Sicilian businessman Joseph Whitaker and his wife Tina Whitaker. It was designed by the architect and represents a synthethis of Neo-Renaissance and Eclecticism styles. The state rooms were frescoed with a rich floral decoration by . Other smaller rooms have Flemish tapestries with scenes from the Aeneid and frescoes by Rocco Lentini and stuccoes by Salvatore Valenti.[1]
The garden of the villa was designed by and covers about seven hectares. Many rare plants from Tunisia, Sumatra, Australia and South America are located in it.
During the Belle Époque age the villa was the venue for lavish parties. The Whitaker family knew artists like Richard Wagner and the imperial dynasties of Great Britain, Germany and Russia.
The villa is currently the headquarters of the .
References[]
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Villa Malfitano (Palermo). |
Coordinates: 38°07′23.88″N 13°20′29.04″E / 38.1233000°N 13.3414000°E
- Villas in Palermo
- Gardens in Palermo
- Eclectic architecture in Palermo
- Renaissance Revival architecture in Italy