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The Nelson Palace
The ducal palace used by the Nelson and their
administrators in Bronte was impressive, grandiose, with ample storehouses and
cellars and a park surrounded by a high, lava stone boundary wall.
The vestiges of the ancient structure, an entire block facing “Corso Umberto”,
opposite the Capuchin’ Convent, Madonna del Riparo street (today Roma
street) and Nelson street (now A. Spedalieri street) have practically
disappeared.
Of the ducal palace remain only few traces.
Some testimony of the ancient architecture is still visible in the buildings
along Corso Umberto (including the late prof. Paparo’s house, the
ex-Santangelo printing works, the houses Mineo, Parisi
ect., till the ex Cinema Roma) and in the imposing cellar below where
there is now the Deluchiana municipal library.
The actual areas occupied now by the Town Hall, those of Cap. Saitta
street and adjacent to new new parking of Venia square were once garden
of the ducal
Palace’s.
Another elegant residence belonging to the Nelson in Bronte is still nearly
intact.
It was erected in Bronte at the edge of the ancient San Rocco
district, today in the vicinity of the Capizzi
College.
Solid and compact, looks on the narrow streets Placido De Luca and Manzoni
and on the courtyard of the Zagare.
The current building was presumably realized
by the heirs of the admiral Nelson at the beginning of the XIX°
century, to use it as stores and as a residence for the Duke or his
managers when coming to Bronte.
It was started as a restructure and extension of a pre-existent building,
(the architrave of the principal entry door shows the date of 1642).
It is constructed in masonry with walls of exceptional thickness. |
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All the openings of the first floor have jutting frame and architrave
opening on balconies in lava stone, of a varied profile, supported by
sculpted double mantelpieces and worked to sixth or seventh century style
drawings and banisters in wrought iron of particular interest (similar to the visible ones in a few balconies of the Dukedom
Nelson).
The Nelson ex Palace is now in a very bad, abandoned state.
In the 1940s the building underwent heavy internal transformations with
the purpose of establishing there the Carabineers local barracks (modification
of the internal courtyards, building of cells, services and stables
premises).
The palace passed to the
Nelson after they won a long court case against don Vincenzo
Meli Papotto, Baron of Pisciagrò (a feud near Randazzo).
The baron (and his heirs), also boasting some rights of property
on the Ricchisgia estate that he had in lease, refused to pay the
Gabella (the canon) nor to the Big and New Hospital in Palermo
(that, had received in dowry, in 1494, by Pope Innocent
VIII being a property of the Maniace abbey), nor to the Nelson (to
whom it had been given, in 1799, by the King Ferdinand of
Borbone ). |
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Side view of the palace (from Manzoni
street) that the Nelson were using in Bronte as stores and
residence. |
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The long quarrel
finished with the victory of the Nelson, which, besides the
district Grangia of Ricchisgia (the ancient
Cartiera Araba, Arab paper mill), also dispossessed the Baron
of other assets: a citrus orchard in the Marotta feud, a baronial
palace in Scafiti street, other urban houses, a feud in the slopes
of Etna and even the palace of Placido De Luca street, built in
1642. |
Translated by Sam Di Bella
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