Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Liberty
Palermo flourished in the art nouveau (or 'Liberty') period. The innovation of architects
like Giovan Battista Basile and his son Ernesto, and artists such as Salvatore Gregorietti
and Ettore Maria de Begler, who painted the dining room of the
Grand Hotel Villa Igiea
(
091
54 37 44;
www.hotelvillaigieapalermo.com
;
Salita Belmonte 43)
marked this epoch. The two kiosks in
front of Palermo's Teatro Massimo (
Click here
)
are good examples of Sicily's art nouveau,
though the Villa Malfitano (
Click here
) remains the showcase of Liberty architecture. It is
most notable for its whimsical interior decoration, which includes a 'Summer Room' with
walls painted to resemble a conservatory, and a music room draped with 15th-century
tapestries illustrating the
Aeneid
.
