L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 10 L'Italo-Americano S i c i l y h a s l o n g drawn kings and q u e e n s t o i t s shores, so much so that many felt compelled to leave a trace of their stay, or mor e often, t h e i r e x t e n d e d p r e s e n c e . Among them was Ferdinand IV of Bourbon, who became Ferdinand III, King of the Two Sicilies. In the late 1700s, fleeing unrest in N a p l e s , h e r e l o c a t e d t o Palermo. There, he commis- s i o n e d s e v e r a l p r o j e c t s , i n c l u d i n g t h e P a l a z z i n a Cinese, a small palace whose distinct and charming Orien- tal style gave it its name. But Ferdinand didn't stop t h e r e . E n c h a n t e d b y t h e serene landscape, rich wood- lands, and abundant wildlife o f F i c u z z a – w h e r e h e would live for three years – he commissioned a grand Casina di Caccia, or hunt- i n g l o d g e . D e s i g n e d a s a proper royal residence, it f e a t u r e d a n e o c l a s s i c a l façade crowned by a sand- stone sculpture group with bas-reliefs of the god Pan a n d t h e g o d d e s s D i a n a , flanked by two large decora- tive wall clocks. At the center sat the Bourbon family crest. The rectangular building, elegant in its simplicity, was surrounded by smaller out- buildings and a central piaz- za, forming the heart of what would become the small vil- lage of Ficuzza. Inside, the three-story lodge boasted r o y a l a p a r t m e n t s , f o r m a l reception rooms, a private chapel, wine cellars, stables, and storerooms. Though far from any major city, the king made sure it was outfitted with every comfort and luxu- ry he was used to, combining elegance with practicality. The palace didn't escape the turmoil of the 1820–21 uprisings. It was ransacked, its furnishings destroyed, a n d s o o n a f t e r f e l l i n t o decline, eventually reduced to a working farm. In 1871, about fifty years later, man- agement of the estate and surrounding woodland was handed over to the Royal F o r e s t r y A d m i n i s t r a t i o n , which also oversaw the ham- let and its residents. Today, it remains under the care of Sicily's Regional Forestry Corps. A glimpse inside the Casi- na is enough to fall in love w i t h i t s g r a n d s t a i r c a s e , which, despite its two cen- turies of history, remains almost entirely intact. The landings still show the intri- cate, hand-crafted decora- t i v e w o r k c r e a t e d b y t h e master artisans of the era, elegant designs that mirror remarkable skill and aes- thetic taste. Upstairs, the dining room evokes scenes of King Ferdinand and his noble guests returning from a h u n t t o f e a s t o n g a m e dishes prepared by expert chefs: images of luxury and conviviality from a bygone a g e . Y e t t h e p a s t f e e l s remarkably present within t h i s r o y a l h u n t i n g l o d g e , located just a few miles from Corleone. Surrounded by the nature reserve of the Bosco della Ficuzza, the Casina f e e l s l e s s l i k e a c o u n t r y r e t r e a t a n d m o r e l i k e a palace hidden in the forest, where architecture, land- s c a p e , a n d h i s t o r y b l e n d together. Like any noble residence worth its name, the Casina has its share of anecdotes, o n e o f t h e m d e c i d e d l y risqué. It's said that Queen Maria Carolina brought with her from the Royal Palace of Caserta an antique bidet which, unlike the customs of the time, she used outdoors. To avoid prying eyes, she reportedly concealed the act beneath the generous folds of her voluminous gowns. A second tale, less scandalous but equally charming, con- cerns one of Sicily's oldest icehouses located on the property. It was used to keep food fresh and to prepare a rustic version of granita, a forerunner of the modern t r e a t . T h e k i n g , w h o w a s fond of it, enjoyed offering it to guests during the swelter- ing summer months. The surrounding nature reserve spans some 7,500 hectares and includes both the Ficuzza and Cappelliere forests. To the south, it's dominated by Rocca Busam- bra, a dramatic limestone ridge rising to 1,613 meters, and the Gorgo del Drago, a striking natural canyon dot- ted with waterfalls. The area is rich in water sources, with both natural and artificial l a k e s , a n d i s h o m e t o a diverse range of vegetation, including several species of o a k , h o l m o a k , a n d c o r k t r e e s . W h a t m a k e s t h e reserve truly exceptional, however, is its wildlife: it is home to over 80% of Sicily's animal species, including d e e r , w i l d b o a r s , f o x e s , hares, and a wide variety of birds such as golden eagles and peregrine falcons. One particularly evocative l a n d m a r k a l o n g t h e t r a i l k n o w n a s " I n t h e K i n g ' s Footsteps" is the so-called "King's Throne," a carved rock with a staircase and seat where Ferdinand is said to have rested during his hunts. Reopened to the public in 2009, the former Bourbon l o d g e h a s s e r v e d , s i n c e August 3, 2013, as home to the "Multimedia Museum of t h e F i c u z z a F o r e s t . " T h e museum offers an immer- sive experience that show- cases both the royal resi- dence and the biodiversity of t h e s u r r o u n d i n g r e s e r v e . Despite the damage caused by the uprisings of 1820– 21—which left much of the o r i g i n a l f u r n i s h i n g s destroyed—visitors can still admire the beautifully deco- r a t e d c e i l i n g o f t h e r o y a l a p a r t m e n t o n t h e u p p e r floor, painted with hunting scenes, as well as the elegant elliptical chapel dedicated to Saint Rosalia. Given such a rich histori- cal and natural setting, it's no surprise that Ficuzza was chosen as the site of a major cultural event: as part of the International Biennale Sicily Trinacria (BIST), the palace hosted an exhibition titled Art Pays Tribute to the His- toric Royal Palace of Ficuz- z a . T h e e v e n t b r o u g h t together sculptures, paint- i n g s , i n s t a l l a t i o n s , p h o - tographs, books, and poet- ry—all celebrating the legacy of the palace through over one hundred participating a r t i s t s . T h e i n a u g u r a t i o n t o o k p l a c e i n t h e p a l a c e c h a p e l , a n d t h e o c c a s i o n embraced modern technolo- gy, including aerial filming with drones. Artists from a c r o s s S i c i l y a n d b e y o n d w e r e h o n o r e d w i t h c o m - m e m o r a t i v e c e r t i f i c a t e s , while the skies lit up with fireworks to mark the cele- bration. The event also featured a d i s p l a y o f v i n t a g e c a r s — many of which once raced along the legendary Targa Florio route—adding a nos- talgic, motorized touch to an already vibrant celebration of Sicilian heritage. The Bourbon Palace: between history and cultural events TERESA DI FRESCO The Bourbon Palace of Ficuzza (Photo: Radim Stobl/Dreamstime) LIFE PEOPLE PLACES EVENTS

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