4 bedrooms palace, 260 m²

Noto, Syracuse (province)

DESCRIPTION
Historic Building in the Heart of Noto
This noble palace is a timeless residence, where history and art blend in perfect harmony with contemporary comfort. An elegant retreat in the heart of authentic Sicily, in the baroque city of Noto, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Each of its rooms preserves the breath of the past and the timeless grace of eighteenth-century architecture.
Once a stately home, the property today presents itself as a refined private residence, spread over multiple levels and comprising two apartments expertly joined over time to create a single, welcoming and charming abode, ideal as a second home, a meeting place, or an artist's residence.
On the ground floor, with a separate entrance, the oldest part of the building is revealed: once the ancient carriage entrance to a noble palace, today transformed into an evocative hall with high sandblasted vaults, where the stone tells stories of distant eras.
During the renovation, a hidden cistern was uncovered, a small treasure from the past that once served the local shops. Today, illuminated and enhanced, it remains there as a tangible testimony to the historical memory of this place.
This floor, thanks to its dramatic atmosphere, is perfectly suited to become a wine tasting room, an artist's studio, or a gallery owner's office. A very old staircase, intentionally left intact, connects this level to the upper floor, preserving all its period charm.
On the first floor, the original stone flooring is immediately noticeable, uncovered, cleaned, and restored where necessary. This is a delightful guest apartment, comprising a cozy living room with kitchenette, a bathroom with window, and a spacious double bedroom. The most striking feature is the ceiling, a reed and plaster roof blackened by the ancient fireplace, now restored. The white walls contrast and accentuate the ancient flooring and dark ceiling.
From the same level, a restored stone staircase leads to the second floor, where the main apartment is located, also featuring its own independent entrance from the main street.
Here, the spaces open onto bright and vibrant environments, where Mediterranean colors interact with period materials and contemporary details.
A large hallway leads to a study, a double bedroom with private bathroom and a master suite with en suite bathroom.
A corridor then leads to the living area, designed as a spacious living room with an open-plan kitchen and guest bathroom, ideal for hosting friends and guests in a convivial and refined atmosphere.
A modern staircase leads to the panoramic terrace, a true gem offering an enchanting view of Noto's Baroque masterpieces and a glimpse of the sea merging with the sky on the horizon.



HISTORICAL NOTES
This building appears to date back to the early stages of the city's reconstruction after the disastrous earthquake of 1693. The structure presumably belonged to a larger structure that was either never completed or later demolished: a mighty and elegant archway leading to the courtyard of a building perhaps used for the administration of justice. The 2008 restoration project eliminated all existing internal divisions, reconstructing the spatial unity of the archivolted space on the ground floor, extending, as it once did, from the street to the internal garden: a corridor enclosed by thick walls, topped by a vault of local tufigna stone blocks, with walls covered in white plaster interrupted by the architecture of the cistern's access mouth.
POTENTIAL
This property lends itself to a variety of uses. Originally a holiday home for the owners and friends who share a love of beautiful Sicily, it now offers a versatile solution. It can easily be divided into three independent units, ideal for rental income, given the high demand for charming apartments from an international clientele eager to experience the authentic Baroque atmosphere and immerse themselves in the vibrant summers of the now...