🎄 Win a month in Italy for two — €10,000 · The Secret Italy Prize GO →
Filangeri Cutò Palace — Santa Margherita di Belice
← Back
Palaces, Villas and Castles 📍 Santa Margherita di Belice, Italy 373 views

Filangeri Cutò Palace

Commonly called the "Leopard" palace because it is linked ala memory of the famous novel and its noble author Giuseppe Tomasi Di Lampedusa. It belonged first to the " Corbera " family and later to the " Filangeri " family. It has been rebuilt inside while leaving the remaining Ba...

Photo · Teresa L.

Filangeri Cutò Palace — Santa Margherita di Belice, Italy.

Location
Santa Margherita di Belice
Type
Palaces, Villas and Castles
Opening hours
Weather now
21°C
↗ Directions

About Filangeri Cutò Palace

Filangeri Cutò Palace - Santa Margherita di Belice | Secret World Trip Planner

Commonly called the "Leopard" palace because it is linked ala memory of the famous novel and its noble author Giuseppe Tomasi Di Lampedusa. It belonged first to the " Corbera " family and later to the " Filangeri " family. It has been rebuilt inside while leaving the remaining Baroque lines on display externally. The Filangeri Cutò Palace forms the backdrop to a large square and is a self-sufficient organism, equipped with a theater, chapel, reception rooms and a large garden.Built on the pre-existing remains of an Arab fortress, it was developed from the 17th century as the residence of the town's founder Antonio Corbera. It always maintained an emblematic value of feudal power within the territory of S. Margherita, until the decline of baronage in the late 1800s. In 1921, after the fractional sale of some of its parts, the slow decline of the complex began, and in 1968 it was largely destroyed by an earthquake. Today it has been completely restored and is home to the Gattopardo Literary Park-Museum in honor of the famous writer Tomasi di Lampedusa, who spent his summers there between the ages of six and 20. Becoming in The Leopard the palace of Donnafugata, it frames a little less than half of the novel. " ....era a paradise of scents ri rimmed with oregano and nepitella as are so many gardens of Sicily that seem made more for the enjoyment of the nose than the eye." Reading between the lines of the Childhood Memories of the celebrated writer Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, the invitation to visit the places related to the famous novel of "The Leopard" is obligatory. One of them is the garden, embedded in the urban context, located on a lower floor of the monumental complex of the Filangeri di Cutò Palace.

Filangeri Cutò Palace - Santa Margherita di Belice | Secret World Trip Planner
Filangeri Cutò Palace - Santa Margherita di Belice | Secret World Trip Planner
Filangeri Cutò Palace - Santa Margherita di Belice | Secret World Trip Planner
✦ Secret World · suggested day

A perfect day in Santa Margherita di Belice

Start with Filangeri Cutò Palace, then continue with nearby places selected by Secret World.

  1. 01
    Morning
    Filangeri Cutò Palace
    📍 Santa Margherita di Belice
    Start here
  2. 02
    Afternoon
    📍 11.2 km away

Collect this place

Turn places you discover into stamps in your Secret Passport.

Open Secret Passport →

Keep exploring · Santa Margherita di Belice

Frequently Asked Questions

The palace is commonly called the 'Leopard' palace because of its connection to Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's famous novel 'The Leopard,' where the palace served as the inspiration for the palace of Donnafugata and frames nearly half of the novel. Lampedusa spent his summers there between the ages of six and 20, and the palace now houses the Gattopardo Literary Park-Museum in his honor.
The palace was built on pre-existing remains of an Arab fortress and was developed from the 17th century as the residence of Antonio Corbera, the town's founder. It originally belonged to the Corbera family before passing to the Filangeri family, and it served as an emblematic symbol of feudal power until the decline of the baronage in the late 1800s.
Today, the palace has been completely restored and houses the Gattopardo Literary Park-Museum dedicated to Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. The palace is a self-sufficient organism equipped with a theater, chapel, reception rooms, and a large garden embedded in the urban context on a lower floor, featuring scents of oregano and nepitella typical of Sicilian gardens.
The palace began its slow decline in 1921 after fractional sales of its parts, and was largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1968. It has since been completely restored and now stands as a fully preserved monument that visitors can explore today.
Absolutely—the palace is essential for any fan of 'The Leopard' as it served as the direct inspiration for the palace of Donnafugata in the novel and was visited by Lampedusa throughout his childhood and young adulthood. The Gattopardo Literary Park-Museum provides insights into the writer's life and the settings that shaped his masterpiece, including the atmospheric garden that inspired his vivid descriptions.

Experiences nearby · Santa Margherita di Belice

Powered by Viator

See more on Viator.com

Secret World Hidden places, real stories — plan your trip
Get the app