Palazzo Melissari, today home to private residences and commercial activities, occupies the corner of the block facing via Palamolla and via Torrione, in the upper part of Reggio Calabria's historic centre.
What to see
The initial design, drawn up by the engineer Raffaele Melissari and later modified by the engineer F. Carpano, led to the building's reconstruction on part of the structure that had withstood the earthquake of 1908. The palace rises over two levels with a C-shaped plan around an inner courtyard, reached from via Palamolla by the stairs leading to the apartments on the upper floor.
The façades, classical in taste, are marked by a regular sequence of openings and pilasters: on the ground floor the windows are lintelled and richly decorated with putti holding garlands between rusticated frames, except for the round-arched entrance, while along via Palamolla the openings appear staggered to follow the slope of the ground. On the upper floor, simpler lintelled openings repeat in line, with floral decoration and balconies supported by corbels featuring geometric motifs between wrought-iron balusters, topped by an eaves cornice and a richly decorated balustrade.
Visiting
The palace houses private residences and commercial activities: it can be admired from outside while walking along via Palamolla and via Torrione.
Our editors' tip
Notice how the ground-floor openings along via Palamolla follow the slope of the ground: a detail that betrays the haste of the post-1908 reconstruction, when building meant reusing whatever was still standing.
