DESCRIPTION:

We offer for sale a historic late 17th-century building in the city of Syracuse, Sicily.
This historic, stately building is located in one of the most characteristic neighborhoods of the historic center.
The building follows a perspective line that, facing east, borders one side of a historic street, ideally uniting two important religious buildings: the oldest church built above ground in the city of Syracuse, dating back to 326 AD, and the former church of the Convento del Ritiro with its splendid 18th-century façade.
Built on the foundations of an older Renaissance building, this building, originally a wing of the former Carmelite convent and later a private residence, has undergone alterations over the centuries, both to the façades and interiors. It features a large 18th-century entrance hall where stone arches and various architectural details reveal the construction criteria of different eras, such as the remains of an ancient loggia with a pointed cross vault and one of the splendid Renaissance columns still visible. The remaining portion of the loggia was later partially enclosed with imposing stone walls in the mid-19th century, for residential purposes or to create useful and functional spaces for the servants' activities. The courtyard was undoubtedly originally larger, but today, despite its smaller size, it has largely retained its original function.
The ground floor rooms, now renovated, consist of two independent apartments, primarily intended for residential and tourist accommodation purposes.
A central masonry staircase, likely also stylistically revised over several periods, leads to what was once the piano nobile, which still retains its late-19th-century and, in part, early-20th-century layout almost unchanged. This floor, which still retains part of the original late-17th-century flooring, is also characterized by the presence of several terraces, the most notable of which is now part of the roof of the Ancient Church, built in 326 AD. This distinctive perspective, unique and unparalleled in the historic center of Syracuse, further defines this ancient residence.
We are just steps from other important churches, other noble buildings, the Temple of Apollo, the seafront, which is just over a hundred meters away, and a museum dedicated to Archimedes and Leonardo da Vinci. For those looking to purchase an exclusive residence in one of Italy's most beautiful historic centers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this property could be the solution you're looking for.