Palazzina Cinese

Palazzina Cinese

The Palazzina Cinese is a strange curious little building just outside Palermo.  A bit difficult to reach, it is worth a visit, located within the confines of the Riserva di Monte Pellegrino and just oustide the Parco della Favorita.  The work done to the structure in its current form was completed and realized by Giuseppe Venanzio Marvuglia, mainly an architect of municipal structures, in 1799 after being commissioned by Ferdinand IV di Borbone.  Marvuglia enlarged the structure and beautified it for Ferdinando and his wife, Maria Carolina.  The structure was originally built almost a decade previously by the laywer, Benedetto Lombardo.

At the time of my visit in 2009, the structure was closed for renovations.  It has now re-opened to the public and is worthy of a visit since you could explore the park at the same time which is located nearby.

The architecture is a blend of neoclassicism and "cineserie", which was in fashion at the time that the structure was built.  The curious mixture of styles give the structure, in my opinion, an air of fantasy, as if stepping into a story book with its bright colors, Chinese prints and silks, and the "oriental" bells that adorn the railings.  Check out the video below with offers a wonderful video "tour" of the structure.

Reaching the Palazzina Cinese:

(this section is under construction while I do some research on transportation options...!) 

If you have a car, it's probably best to drive.  Failing that, you could take a taxi. From the Giardino inglese, it is a 3.5 km walk north, probably more difficult during the hot summer months.