In the city of the Leopard, discovering the places made immortal by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
Santa Margherita di Belice is an exciting journey through the most significant pages of Italian history and literature
Santa Margherita di Belice was founded in 1572, in an area with an already very ancient history. Its founders, the Corbera barons, built the elegant building that was to become the palace of Donnafugata, as described in The Leopard in 1958.
Palazzo Filangeri di Cutò was an important place for the city and for Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. The writer spent many summers of his childhood here and the inspiration to write some memorable pages of his only novel.
After the Belice earthquake, only the façade of Palazzo Filangeri remained. Largely rebuilt, today this symbolic building houses the town hall, the Sant'Alessandro Theatre, the Gattopardo Museum and the Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa Literary Park.
The earthquake of 1968 not only left its mark on the buildings, but also profoundly affected the inhabitants of the town and the entire valley. The event is commemorated in the Museo della Memoria (Remembrance Museum), a short walk from Palazzo Filangeri. Inside the former Cathedral of Santa Margherita, destroyed by the earthquake, testimonies and photographs accompany visitors on an emotional journey that helps retrace and better understand the catastrophe.