The Palazzo San Giuliano is a monumental palace located in Piazza Universitaria, in the center of the city of

Catania Catania (, , Sicilian and ) is the second largest municipality in Sicily, after Palermo. Despite its reputation as the second city of the island, Catania is the largest Sicilian conurbation, among the largest in Italy, as evidenced also by ...

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

, southern

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

. Once a private home of the San Giuliano branch of the

House of Paternò A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condit ...

, it has also served as hospital, bank, theater, and hotel. Presently it houses the administrative offices of the

University of Catania The University of Catania ( it, Università degli Studi di Catania) is a university located in Catania, Sicily. Founded in 1434, it is the oldest university in Sicily, the 13th oldest in Italy, and the 29th oldest university in the world. With a ...

, and stands across the piazza from the

Palazzo dell'Università A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome whic ...

, which has the rector's offices, a library, and a small museum.

History and Description

After the 1693 Sicily earthquake raze the prior structure at the site, a palace was commissioned by the Marquise of San Giuliano, a member of the aristocratic Paternò family. The work was completed in 1738 under the designs of Giovanni Battista Vaccarini. The interiors have undergone much modification. The roof balustrade was added in the 1930s. The palace has only belonged to the university since the 1980s. The portal has two coat of arms, one on the left from the Paternò Castello family, and on the right from the Asmundos, later aristocratic owners of the palace. Inside the courtyard is a typical double flight of stairs to the piano nobile.University of Catania
brief history.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:San Giuliano Buildings and structures completed in 1738 Palaces in Catania 18th-century architecture in Italy Baroque architecture in Sicily