Palazzo della Zisa - Palermo

The Zisa Castle dates back to the 12th century , the period of Norman rule in Sicily.

It was built by Arab architects on behalf of King William I of Altavilla to make it his summer residence. In fact, the influence of the previous rule was still very strong and the Normans, fascinated by Islamic culture, followed this style.

The residence, whose name is derived from the Arabic al-Aziz , meaning glorious, beautiful, stood outside the walls of Palermo , immersed in the greenery of the great royal hunting park of Genoard . The complex also included a building with baths and a chapel.

The castle was completed in 1175, under the reign of William II , and has undergone many transformations over the centuries. Battlements were added in the fourteenth century, causing the partial loss of the Arabic inscription that ran along the frame of the building and is still visible in the attic wall of the palace.
The marble coat of arms of Don Giovanni di Sandoval with two lions, placed above the entrance arch, dates from the seventeenth century. A grand staircase was also added and the internal rooms were adapted. In 1808 the castle then passed to the Notarbartolo family , princes of Sciara.

Ultimately expropriated by the Region of Sicily in 1955 and entrusted to the restoration of Prof. Giuseppe Caronia , the castle has housed since 1991 the Museum of Islamic Art with works produced between the 9th and 12th centuries coming from the countries of the Mediterranean basin such as the elegant musciarabia, wooden latticework screens, an interesting Christian inscription in 4 languages ​​and common utensils and furniture made of copper, such as amphorae, candlesticks and mortars decorated with gold and silver threads.

A beautiful example of Arab-Norman art , the Zisa Castle has a rectangular shape extending over three floors and divided in two on the outside by a canal that carries water to several basins, a reproduction of the older one that carried water in the famous Sala della Fontana (Fountain Room).

The facade is characterized by three large arches and a series of blind arches. On the vault of the entrance are painted some devils that are said to guard the emperor's treasure.
The ground floor is occupied by the long vestibule in which the Fountain Room is located with the stairs to the upper floors on the sides.

The Hall has three large niches at the corners, framed by half-domes decorated with muqarnas (beehive decorations).

The environment in which the king received the court looks fresh thanks to the presence of the fountain that carries a marble slab decorated with chevrons, surmounted by a mosaic panel on a golden background .

The first floor of the building, smaller and closed to the outside, was probably intended for women. There was a viewing window on the top floor.
The entire castle is equipped with ventilation shafts and cleverly placed windows that ensure a continuous air flow on hot summer days.

Since July 2015, it has been among the monuments included in the Arab-Norman Itinerary, a UNESCO World Heritage Site .

Willem Vandenameele