Overview
Baroque art in Castelbuono
Allegories, cherubs and fluttering drapery in white stucco on a gold background: the Palatine Chapel in Castelbuono stuns all first-time admirers. This treasure chest of Baroque art, built in the late 17th century to house the relics of Saint Anne, is the pièce de résistance of the Castle of Ventimiglia.
On the walls are four allegories: the Presentation of Mary in the Temple, her marriage with Joseph, the allegory of Christianity and the allegory of Paganism. The Ventimiglia family is honoured with their half-busts, surrounded by those of people from the Old Testament, in the choir stalls. Not forgetting the two paintings depicting the Ecstasy of Saint Liborius and the Descent of Christ.
The true centrepiece of the chapel is the skull of Saint Anne, protected behind a grille behind the altar. The relic is shown to worshippers during the three-day festival in honour of the Saint, which begins on 25th July. On the 27th, the festivities end with a solemn procession and benediction from the balcony of the castle’s southwest tower. It is an unmissable opportunity to immerse yourself in the local culture.
