Palazzo Chiaramonte, Gothic palace in Piazza Marina, Palermo, Italy
Palazzo Chiaramonte is a Gothic building in Piazza Marina in Palermo, with solid stone walls and pointed windows. The facade rises across three floors, with the top level showing the original battlements.
The Chiaramonte family built this palace between 1307 and 1320 as both a residence and a defensive structure. After the family fell from power, the building served from 1468 as the seat of Spanish viceroys and later as the tribunal of the Inquisition.
Locals refer to this building as Steri, derived from Latin hosterium, meaning a fortified residence. This nickname reflects how Palermo residents remember its long use as both a noble home and a seat of power.
The entrance is on Piazza Marina, reached through a passageway from the square. Guided visits last about one hour and include access to the main halls and the inner courtyard.
The former Inquisition prison cells still show graffiti scratched by prisoners on the walls. These drawings and writings date from different centuries and document the fears of those held inside.
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