|
|
 |
I PARCHI LETTERARI "IN THE DIMENSION OF THE JOURNEY"
- THE PLACES: SANTA MARGHERITA DI BELICE
|
Rises up more than one hundred kilometres from
Agrigento, among the hills that are dotted with
vineyards and wheat fields. It was founded in
1572 by Antonio Corbera, an ancestor to the
writer Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa (1896-1957),
among the ruins of the Arab rural home
Menzil-el-Sindi. |
 |
|
|
The city, which was rebuilt following the devastating
earthquake of 1968, has an orderly urban structure. The
city’s centre is Piazza Matteotti, where still standing,
although damaged by the earthquake, are Palazzo
Filangeri, the country residence of Tomasi di Lampedusa,
author of The Leopard, and the magnificent main
church, which has been converted into the Earthquake
Museum.
G. Tomasi di Lampedusa, from "Childhood
Memories"
" ...At
that time, the house in Palermo had some guest houses in
the country which only added to its charm... The
favourite was Santa Margherita, where we spent the long
months of winter. It was one of the most beautiful
country homes that I have ever seen.”
"Located in the centre of the city, right in the shady
town square, it was immense and had three hundred small
and large rooms. It gave the impression of a sort of
closed and self-sufficient complex, like the Vatican,
for example, with reception rooms, living rooms,
accommodations for thirty people, servants quarters,
three enormous courtyards, stables and carriage houses,
a private theatre and church, an immense and beautiful
garden and a large vegetable garden.”
From "The Leopard"
"Palazzo Salina was next to the main church. Its
narrow facade with seven balconies looking out over the
town square gave no indication of its enormous rear
extension that continued for two hundred metres: they
were buildings of a different style, harmoniously
connected, however, around three large courtyards that
ended in a large, completely enclosed garden.”
And then, yet another journey inland, leaving the coast
behind for...
Go to Caltabellotta >>
|
Regione Calabria
