Palazzo Butera, Baroque palace in Kalsa district, Palermo, Italy
Palazzo Butera is a Baroque palace in Palermo's Kalsa district that rises along the Mediterranean Sea, dominated by a wide terrace called Passeggiata delle Cattive, built upon former city walls. The building now houses contemporary art, ancient paintings, porcelain, and glass collections assembled by the Valsecchi family.
In 1692, Duke of Martini Girolamo Branciforte acquired multiple buildings to construct a seaside palace and commissioned architect Giacomo Amato for the project. The palace became a symbol of the family's power and wealth in Palermo over the following decades.
The interior displays marble staircases bearing the Branciforte family coat of arms, accompanied by frescoes from artists Gioacchino Martorana and Olivio Sozzi. The palace became a hub for the family's cultural pursuits and later reflected the Valsecchi family's passion for collecting art, which shaped the way people experience the rooms today.
The building is accessible Tuesday through Sunday and displays various art collections throughout its rooms. Visitors should allow time to enjoy the collections and the sea views from the terrace.
Prince Ercole Michele Branciforte organized the launch of a hot air balloon from the palace terrace in 1774, marking an early aeronautical experiment in Palermo. This event revealed the family's connection to scientific innovation and Enlightenment ideas of that era.
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