Palazzo Corvaja (The Corvaja Palace)

The Corvaja Palace (Palazzo Corvaja) is a building located in Taormina, Sicily, Italy.

The Palace is one of the most suggestive and representative monuments of the city of Taormina. Located in the area of the ancient Greek Theatre and later the Roman forum, it overlooks Piazza Badia and Corso Umberto on one side and Piazza Santa Caterina on the other. This palace represents three different historical moments of the city, with layers and architectural styles that testify to its millennia-old evolution.

The central nucleus of the Palace is made up of a crenellated cubic tower, reminiscent of the sacred “Al Ka Bah” of Mecca, built by the Arabs for defensive purposes between 902 and 1079, at the beginning of Norman domination in Sicily. This tower is a symbol of the military and political power of the city, as well as a place of great charm and mystery. It is accessed through a staircase dating back to 1300, located in the inner courtyard, which leads to two overlapping square rooms, one on the ground floor and one on the first floor.

In the fourteenth century, to the left of the tower, a wing called the “Master Justice” was built, where various crimes were judged and sentences executed. In this fourteenth-century wing, the heirs of Termes operated thanks to the position of Master Justice entrusted by the king to Don Juan. Above the entrance door is visible the coat of arms with three stars that attest to the ownership of the Spanish Termes family, owner of the Palace where they served as judges.

The inner courtyard of Palazzo Corvaja, on the other hand, houses an elegant bifora with the inscription “ESTO MICHI … LOCUREFUGI” in a fourteenth-century Latin contaminated by the local dialect. Below the bifora, it is possible to admire three carved panels in Syracuse stone depicting the creation of Eve, the original sin with Adam, Eve, and the forbidden tree, and finally the expulsion of Eve from Paradise.

Finally, in the fifteenth century, to the right of the two existing buildings, a new room was built in which, on September 25, 1411, the Sicilian Parliament met, chaired by the Spanish queen Bianca di Navarra, who, after the death of her husband Martino II, governed Sicily.

Today, Palazzo Corvaja houses a collection of art and period objects and is open to the public for guided tours. Additionally, it offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the Ionian Sea and the city of Taormina.