Photo: Dedda71, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Historic villa / palace, 1889
Villa Malfitano Whitaker
Building in Palermo, Italy
At a glance
- Period
- Modern era, 1889
- Style
- Renaissance Revival architecture
- Architect
- Ignazio Greco
- Commissioned by
- Joseph Whitaker
- Protection
- Italian national heritage
- Coordinates
- 38°07′24″ N, 13°20′29″ E
- Address
- Via Dante, 167 - Palermo
History and description
Villa Malfitano Whitaker is a 19th-century villa in Via Dante, in the quarter of Politeama of Palermo, Sicily. It is presently a museum displaying Whitaker's natural history and archaeological collections, as well as his artwork.
History
The villa was built between 1886 and 1889 for the Anglo-Italian businessman Joseph Whitaker and his wife Tina Whitaker. It was designed by the architect Ignazio Greco and represents a synthesis of Neo-Renaissance and Eclecticism styles. The state rooms were frescoed with a rich floral trompe-l’oeil decoration by Ettore De Maria Bergler. Other smaller rooms have Flemish tapestries with scenes from the Aeneid and frescoes by Rocco Lentini and stuccoes by Salvatore Valenti.
The garden of the villa was designed by Emilio Kunzmann and covers about seven hectares. Many rare plants from Tunisia, Sumatra, Australia and South America are located in it.
During the Belle Époque age the villa was the venue for lavish parties. The Whitaker family knew artists like Richard Wagner and the imperial dynasties of Great Britain, Germany and Russia.
The villa is currently the headquarters of the Whitaker Foundation.
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Villa Malfitano Whitaker».
Timeline
- 1889Built
Events and people from Wikidata (CC0).
Photos
Getting there
Palermo LolliTrain, nearest
400 m as the crow flies
Villa Malfitano WhitakerVia Dante, 167 - Palermo
Port2.0 km
Aeroporto di Palermo Falcone e Borsellino21.9 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
Loading map…
Nearby
See on the mapMore historic villas and palaces in Sicily
Frequently asked questions
Where is Villa Malfitano Whitaker?
Villa Malfitano Whitaker is in Palermo, in the province of Palermo (Sicily), Italy. Address: Via Dante, 167 - Palermo. GPS coordinates: 38.12330, 13.34140.
How old is Villa Malfitano Whitaker?
Wikidata dates it to 1889.
What else is there to see near Villa Malfitano Whitaker?
Nearby you’ll find: Villa Virginia Caruso (200 m away), Villa Alliata di Pietratagliata (400 m away), Villino Florio (500 m away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 9 photos
- Villa malfitano7 — Dedda71, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Villa Whitaker Malfitano, Palermo — Mariaantoniettaspadaro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nolina longifolia Villa Malfitano Palermo2 — Esculapio (courtesy of Andrea Geraci), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Villa Malfitano - Façade — HaguardDuNord, CC BY 4.0
- Villa Malfitano giardino — Stendhal55, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Villa malfitano10 — Dedda71, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Albero del Drago — FrankAdamo, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Giardinieri — F.Lo Valvo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ingresso Museo — F.Lo Valvo, CC BY-SA 3.0
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences