Palazzina Cinese

The Palazzina Cinese is located in Palermo, inside the Parco della Favorita.

It was built by decision of King Ferdinand II of Bourbon in 1799 in order to make it his residence. The architect who designed it in the oriental style that was fashionable at the time was Venanzio Marvuglia on three square floors. At the top the pagoda roof and on the ground floor the arcades with ogival arches and towers with spiral staircases created by Giuseppe Patricolo.

The ballroom and audience hall are in the basement and their decoration was by Velazquez. The Chinese-style reception hall, the dining room (where the precious mathematical table is kept) and the royal bedroom are on the first floor. Queen Maria Carolina’s flat and the two reception rooms were on the second floor. Finally, the Chinese Palace has an immense octagonal terrace covered by a finely decorated roof in the shape of a pagoda.