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Palazzo Duca di Santo Stefano
Palazzo Duca di Santo Stefano is set amidst lush gardens and is an
appealing setting for an elegant civil wedding.
The Palace's magnificent square structure, massiveness, position and
battlemented walls make it look like a fortress, therefore making
people think that the initial constructor was a Norman.
This 13th
century Palace, situated near Porta Catania has a beautiful garden
in front of its main facades facing east and north and was the home
of the De Spuches, a noble family of Spanish origin, who were Dukes
of Santo Stefano di Brifa and Princes of Galati.
Palazzo Duca di Santo
Stefano is surely one of the masterpieces of Sicilian Gothic art, in
which the elements of Arabian and Norman art merge. Arabian
reminiscences are aroused by the decoration on the top part of the
palace. Norman art instead is recalled by its square tower-like
plan.
The Palace is made up of three square overlapping sections. The
entrance to the ground floor is an ogival arch constructed with
squared blocks of black lava stone and white Taormina stone.
An internal staircase, made entirely of wood, was reproduced
when the building was restored.
On the second floor there are four
beautiful windows indisputably in Gothic style, two facing east and
two facing north, the noble prospects of the palace.
In the
gardens overlooked by the noble facades there is a well for the
collection of rain-water which was the water supply for the whole
palace.
The municipality of Taormina only gained possession of
Palazzo Duca di Santo Stefano in 1964.
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