A Thousand and One Nights in Italy
9 days ago
- #Italian Architecture
- #19th Century Eccentricity
- #Moorish Revival
- The Moorish Revival in European architecture was influenced by Western fascination with North Africa and the Middle East, sparked by Napoleon's campaigns and the construction of synagogues.
- In mid-19th century Italy, two eccentric aristocrats, Cesare Mattei and Ferdinando Panciatichi, built Moorish Revival castles: Rocchetta Mattei and Castello di Sammezzano.
- Cesare Mattei, a self-taught doctor, developed electrohomeopathy and built Rocchetta Mattei as a healing sanctuary, attracting notable patients like Tsar Alexander II and Queen Victoria.
- Rocchetta Mattei's interiors featured eclectic designs, including replicas of the Alhambra's Court of the Lions and the Mézquita de Córdoba, blending oriental and medieval influences.
- Mattei's healing methods included magnetizing patients with aromatic herbs and guiding them through psychedelic spaces designed to restore bodily energy.
- Ferdinando Panciatichi, disillusioned with Italian politics, transformed Castello di Sammezzano into an orientalist masterpiece, inspired by his extensive library and exotic aesthetics.
- Castello di Sammezzano's design incorporated Persian, Mozarabic, and Indian elements, creating a sensory-rich environment with aromatic incense and water features.
- Panciatichi's castle became a backdrop for films, blending reality with cinematic fantasy, and reflecting his visionary approach to architecture.
- Both castles represent unique expressions of Moorish Revival in Italy, diverging from the dominant Neo-Renaissance style of the period.