Description of the attraction
Palazzo Corvaja is a medieval palace in Taormina, built in the 10th century by the Arabs who took over the city in 902. During their reign, they erected numerous fortifications in Sicily, including the Palazzo Corvaja.
The name of the palace comes from the name of its owners - the Korvaj family, which was one of the most important aristocratic families of Taormina and owned the palace from 1538 to 1945. The palazzo stands in Piazza Badia to the right of the Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria.
The main part of the palace is an ancient cube-shaped Arab tower, reminiscent of the sacred Kaaba of Muslims, which was once used to defend the city. The influence of Arab architecture is also strongly visible in the courtyard with its arched windows and doorways. In the 13th century, the lower part of the tower was expanded. At the same time, a staircase was built that leads to the first floor to an elegantly decorated balcony facing the courtyard. On the landing you can see three magnificent panels made of Syracuse stone: one depicts the creation of Eve, the second depicts original sin, and the third depicts the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise. At the beginning of the 15th century, a right wing was added to the building, in which the Parliament of Sicily sat. By the way, this is why Palazzo Corvaja is sometimes called the Palazzo del Parlamento.
In the middle of the 16th century, the palace became the property of the Korvaja family, whose members actively participated in the political and cultural life of Taormina. The noble family owned the building until 1945, when large-scale restoration work began under the direction of the architect Armando Dillo. The latter, in three years, carefully restored the features of all the styles inherent in the palace - Arab, Norman, in which the main hall of the 15th century was made, and the Gothic facade characteristic of the windows. Since 2009, the office of the local Tourism and Hospitality Association has been located here.
In the immediate vicinity of Palazzo Corvaja, there is the Roman Odeon, Navmachia Building and the Ancient Greek Theater.
