PhD Program in Historical studies
Leonforte
Leonforte was founded in 1610 in Baroque style, and soon became the place of residence of the prince and privileged seat of a small ‘court‘, where artists, men of culture and the greater nobility of the kingdom congregated.
The prince initially had five hundred homes, a palace, a stable, several churches, mills and a warehouse built there, alongside an existing group of shacks that served as residences of the settlers.
Soon he financed the building of other valuable monumental works such as the teatro delle acque (theatre of the waters), in a garden park, now in a state of disrepair, and many squares that characterized the development of the city. The grand Branciforte palace, which existed on the central square, was built next to the church of Sant’Antonio da Padova (Saint Anthony of Padua). Also important is the circular market square (now Regina Margherita), which became the commercial centre of the town. In 1624, to defend the city from the plague, Niccolò Placido Branciforte had it surrounded with walls where he had several doors that gave access built (Palermo, del Crocifisso, di San Filippo Neri).