- Type
- Palace / château
- Built
- 1165 · 12th century
- Style
- Normanno
- Commissioned by
- William II of Sicily, Hauteville family
- Heritage
- part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site (an old town or a valley, for example)
- Visiting
- probably – Wikidata lists it as a museum or gives tickets, opening hours or visitor numbers; check before you go
- Coordinates
- 38.1168°, 13.3411°
History
Construction began in 1165 under the Norman King William I of Sicily and was completed around 1175 by his son William II. The name comes from the Arabic al-Aziz, meaning splendid. Built by Arab craftsmen amid the gardens of the royal Genoardo park, the palace was a summer residence cooled by breezes and running water. In the 17th century it passed to the Sandoval family, who remodelled the interiors as their seat. The palace was expropriated in 1955, and part of the building collapsed in 1971; after a long restoration it reopened in 1991. Since 2015 it has formed part of Arab-Norman Palermo on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
What to see
The sandstone block has blind arcades on its façade, with a pool and channel in front of it. Its jewel is the Fountain Hall, with niches capped by muqarnas, a mosaic of peacocks and archers, and a marble channel along which water once flowed. The upper floors house the Museum of Islamic Art, with metalwork, ceramics and wooden mashrabiya screens.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q1000054
Popularity: articles about this site in 18 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).