Palazzo Lanza Tomasi is located in the heart of the Kalsa neighbourhood in the historical centre of Palermo. Built at the end of the 1600s on the ruins of the mura delle Cattive, 16th century Spanish bastions, it looks onto the Palermo shorefront with 12 windows on the façade and a terrace. It was bought by Prince Giulio Fabrizio di Lampedusa in 1849, an amateur astrologer who inspired the lead character in The Leopard written by his great grandson Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa.
In 1862 the De Pace family bought half the building and altered it to suit the tastes of the time. At this time, the large staircase was built and the ballroom whose parquet floor alternates walnut and cherry wood. In 1948 Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, who lost his family palace during the bombing of 23 April 1943, bought out the De Paces, and lived there until his death in 1957.
His adopted son, Gioacchino Lanza Tomasi, reunited the estate and restored the building. The main charm of the palace is due to its position and the play of space and light. The furnishings reflect the taste of the grand noble houses of Palermo with a collection of furniture from the best Sicilian cabinet maker. The piano nobile is mostly occupied by the museum dedicated to the writer. The Historical Library of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa has been intact since his death. His manuscripts, including The Leopard, are on display in the ballroom.
The building is part of the Dimore Storiche Italiane circuit.
