Scuola Secondaria di I grado
Giosue Carducci
Bagheria
Città delle ville
Bagheria yesterday
Bagheria Now
Bagheria's coat of arms
It's characterized by a mural crown “with towers”
Typical emblem of civic heraldry of Medieval Communal
origin.
On the right a rampant lion.
On the left a small branch of a vine with clusters.
The name of Bagheria derives its name from Bayheria that means place descending to the
sea.
The first buildings appeared along the coast from xv century ,they were only watch -towers
and around them all the farm labourers' houses were built.
Vines, olive trees, almonds trees and indian figs were coltivated in the area.
In 1658 Giuseppe Branciforti, Count of Raccuja, decided to retire in Bagheria,where he built
Villa Butera and around it the first village would developed.
In 1769 Salvatore Branciforti,Prince of Butera, planned its first town scheme.
Since them all the other vinas were built and the place
soon became the favourite holiday resort of aristocraty.
The village developed into a town and in 1826 it was
decreed “town” by Francesco I.
Palazzo Villarosa
Built from 1770 by Placido Notarbartolo,
Duke of Villarosa.
It is located on the slope of Mt. Giancaldo.
It is in neoclassic style
With elements from Greek art
without following any baroque rules.
Palazzo Butera
It is the oldest palace in Bagheria.
It was built in 1658 by Prince Branciforti.
It looks like a Medieval castle shielded with
walls and with crenellated towers.
Today,one of its wings is the seat of the
Town Hall
Villa Valguarnera
Built in 1715
by
Pricess Maria Anna of Gravina.
The building is in neoclassic style.
Villa Trabia
It was built in Neoclassic style in 1750
by Prince Michele Gravina.
Palazzo Cuto’
Built in 1712 by Onofrio Naselli,
Prince of Aragon.
Today it is the seat of
the Toy Museam
And
Town Hall Library.
This is one of the most beautiful villas in town...
Villa Palagonia is one of the most visited villas
It is very peculiar for its statues and architecture.
It was built in 1715
It was
Designed by the architects
Tommaso Maria Napoli
and
Agatino Daidone.
 The Villa is called the Monsters' Palace
for its peculiar statues which stand along
the parapets and walls.
The statues are made of tuff rock from the near seaside resort “Aspra” -a village on the
coast.
The statues represent imaginary animals,grotesque figures, statues of knights,musicians,
women
Il salone da ballo è noto come ‘’Sala degli Specchi’’
It is a beautiful Hall profusely decorated with frescos
and its cealing is covered with mirrors.
It is told that the Prince himself ordered to put mirrors
which misshaped his guests' appearance.
It is believed that the prince of Palagonia suffered
himself from physical deformity.

It was Easter time in 1787 when the German poet
Johann Wolfang Goethe visited Villa Palagonia.
He was really shocked when he saw the statues and
 he wrote pages and pages on his journals.
He also met the Prince Francesco Ferdinando Gravina II
And he descibed him as “
a tall and skinny man, an outstanding nobleman smartly dressed and with a
powered face”