Palazzo Carcassona (Carcassona Palace), Alghero
Carcassona Palace, located in the Jewish quarter of Alghero, stands as a significant testament to mid-15th-century architecture and history. This impressive building was a prominent residence for high-ranking officials, including royal prosecutors and governors, who visited or stayed in the city. Notably, the viceroy was once hosted in the residence of Maimone Carcassona, the eldest son of Samuele Carcassona, a prominent Jewish family in Alghero.
The palace's architectural elegance is evident in its sandstone fa莽ade, characterized by a distinctive decentralized doorway. This entrance features an adovellado design with a refined molding that frames the arch, echoing architectural motifs found in Valencia, Naples, Palermo, and Sardinia. The lower archway of the building also reflects the Neapolitan style seen in the palaces of Antonello Petrucci and Diomede Carafa, along with influences from various Southern Italian, Barcelona, and Valencia architectural elements.
Above the main entrance, the fa莽ade is adorned with four mullioned windows set within a molded rectangular frame, each decorated with a small intertwined trefoil arch. This decorative detail is a hallmark of Aragonese Mediterranean architecture, emphasizing the building's historical and stylistic connections across the region.
Originally featuring a loggia patio and an external staircase leading to the reception hall, Carcassona Palace combined functionality with grandeur. The entrance hall, with its barrel vault, connected the main doorway to the open patio. A distinctive feature of the fa莽ade is the ovoid projecting face with wide eyes and a half-open mouth, carved into a block of sandstone. This element is reminiscent of the sculpture on the Maddalena Tower, also known as Garibaldi's Tower, further linking the palace to Alghero's rich architectural heritage.
The palace's architectural elegance is evident in its sandstone fa莽ade, characterized by a distinctive decentralized doorway. This entrance features an adovellado design with a refined molding that frames the arch, echoing architectural motifs found in Valencia, Naples, Palermo, and Sardinia. The lower archway of the building also reflects the Neapolitan style seen in the palaces of Antonello Petrucci and Diomede Carafa, along with influences from various Southern Italian, Barcelona, and Valencia architectural elements.
Above the main entrance, the fa莽ade is adorned with four mullioned windows set within a molded rectangular frame, each decorated with a small intertwined trefoil arch. This decorative detail is a hallmark of Aragonese Mediterranean architecture, emphasizing the building's historical and stylistic connections across the region.
Originally featuring a loggia patio and an external staircase leading to the reception hall, Carcassona Palace combined functionality with grandeur. The entrance hall, with its barrel vault, connected the main doorway to the open patio. A distinctive feature of the fa莽ade is the ovoid projecting face with wide eyes and a half-open mouth, carved into a block of sandstone. This element is reminiscent of the sculpture on the Maddalena Tower, also known as Garibaldi's Tower, further linking the palace to Alghero's rich architectural heritage.
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Palazzo Carcassona (Carcassona Palace) on Map
Sight Name: Palazzo Carcassona (Carcassona Palace)
Sight Location: Alghero, Italy (See walking tours in Alghero)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Alghero, Italy (See walking tours in Alghero)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Alghero, Italy
Create Your Own Walk in Alghero
Creating your own self-guided walk in Alghero is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Alghero Introduction Walking Tour
Alghero, a charming coastal town in Sardinia, Italy, is a unique historical place where the Sardinian and Catalan cultures united.
The area鈥檚 history stretches back way before Christian times. The Phoenicians arrived here in the 8th century BC, establishing a metalworking settlement called Saint Imbenia.
Later, this strategic Mediterranean location attracted the Genoese Doria family, who... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
The area鈥檚 history stretches back way before Christian times. The Phoenicians arrived here in the 8th century BC, establishing a metalworking settlement called Saint Imbenia.
Later, this strategic Mediterranean location attracted the Genoese Doria family, who... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Alghero's Old Palaces
Alghero, a historical gem on the northwest coast of Sardinia, is home to some of Italy's most significant architectural monuments. This is evident in the city's remarkable collection of old palaces, showcasing narratives that span centuries.
Carcassona Palace, dating back to the mid-1400s, stands out with its mix of influences from Valencia, Naples, Palermo, and Sardinia. A former... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles
Carcassona Palace, dating back to the mid-1400s, stands out with its mix of influences from Valencia, Naples, Palermo, and Sardinia. A former... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles