During this guided tour, you will discover one of the most astonishing and mysterious sites of Sicilian Baroque: Villa Palagonia, famous for its enigmatic monstrous statues that have captivated visitors and travellers for centuries.
The tour will begin in the villa's garden, where we will get a close-up view of the famous grotesque figures positioned along the perimeter walls. Through historical tales and interesting facts, we will learn about the prince who commissioned this extraordinary residence and the various interpretations associated with these highly unusual sculptures.
During the tour, we will also talk about the Grand Tour travellers who visited Bagheria and were deeply impressed by the villa, including Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who described these bizarre figures with great amazement in his famous Italian Journey.
The tour will continue inside the villa, where we will explore some of the rooms on the main floor and learn about the history of the Palagonia family and the cultural context of 18th-century Bagheria. The tour will culminate with a visit to the stunning Hall of Mirrors, one of the villa’s most captivating rooms, famous for its play of reflections and the dramatic effect that amazed guests as early as the 18th century.