Donnafugata Castle
In the southern part of Sicily, a few kilometers away from Ragusa city, stands the magnificent Donnafugata Castle.
The building, more similar to a noble residence than a castle, has been restored and modified several times over the centuries thus acquiring a fascinating blend of different architectural styles.
Donnafugata Castle was born as a rural villa built around a pre-existing settlement about 15 km from Ragusa.
The palace, behind its Gothic facade, is divided into about 122 rooms including the Hall of Coats of Arms, the Hall of Mirrors and the Billiards and Music Halls, all adorned with decorations and ancient frescoes. The castle also boasts a huge garden with a stone labyrinth, exotic plants, statues, fountains, large terracotta pots, artificial grottoes and a dome with the firmament painted on the ceiling.
The castle takes its name from the Donnafugata feud, the toponym derives from the corruption of the phrase Ayn As Jafat, source of health in Arabic. According to a legend, the name could derive from an escaped woman and would be linked to Queen Bianca of Navarre, locked up in the castle by Bernardo Cabrera, count of Modica.
Although everyone calls it a castle, what we admire is a noble holiday home. In the early 19th century, Francesco Maria Arezzo, baron of Donnafugata, decided to build the residence by expanding the old houses within the feud.
The residence is surrounded by an eight-hectare park. Large ficus trees, Mediterranean and exotic species cover a vast area full of surprises: a small circular temple, a caffeaus, artificial caves with fake stalactites and a large labyrinth with dry stone walls.
Curiosity:
The noble residence has appeared several times in the television series Il commissario Montalbano. In fact, the residence was chosen to rebuild the house of the mafia boss Balduccio Sinagra.
The actor himself, Luca Zingaretti, chose this residence to celebrate his marriage to the actress Luisa Ranieri.
© images from the Donnafugata Castle website.
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