Palazzo Parisio (Naxxar)

Palazzo Parisio
Front façade of Palazzo Parisio
General information
Status	Intact
Type	Hunting lodge Palace
Architectural style	Baroque
Location	Naxxar, Malta
Coordinates	35°54′53.8″N 14°26′39.3″E / 35.914944°N 14.444250°E / 35.914944; 14.444250
Named for	Parisio Muscati family
Completed	1733
Renovated	1900–1907
Owner	Scicluna family
Technical details
Material	Limestone
Renovating team
Architect	Carlo Sada
Website
www.palazzoparisio.com

Palazzo Parisio, sometimes known as Palazzo Scicluna and officially Palazzo Parisio and Gardens, is a palace in Naxxar, Malta. It was built as a hunting lodge in 1733, and was used as a summer or permanent residence, barracks and a college, before being acquired by the Marquis Scicluna in 1898. The Marquis embellished the building in the early 20th century, turning it into a palace. Today, Palazzo Parisio and its surrounding gardens are in good condition and are open to the public.

Palazzo Parisio was originally built as a hunting lodge in 1733 by Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena. After his death, the building was taken over by the Order of St. John, and it eventually passed into the hands of the Parisio family, who used it as a summer residence. It eventually became the permanent residence of Paolo Parisio Muscati. In 1798, the palace briefly served as a barracks during the French occupation of Malta.

In 1856, the palace passed into the hands of the Micallef family. They rented the property to the Jesuits in 1880, who used it as a college. The Jesuits made plans for purchasing the building, but the agreement was never reached and the building was acquired by Marquis Giuseppe Scicluna on 12 June 1898 for a sum of £1500.

The Marquis commissioned a team of Italian architects, sculptors and painters led by Carlo Sada () (born 1855) and Annibale Lupi (born 1869) to embellish the palace with Baroque and Pompeiian art and architecture. Work began in 1900, and was largely complete by 1906, when the marquis and his family moved into the palace. Scicluna died on 14 February 1907, before the refurbishment was fully completed, and his family moved back to their original residence in San Pawl tat-Tarġa. The marble were sculpted and laid by Sicilian workers in 1902, as directed by Giuseppe Valenti. Among the workers were Baldassare Armato, his son Domenico Armato, Francesco Bondin and Andrea De Stefano. The main ceilings' frescoes were carried by Giacomo Olzai and Filippo Fortunato Venuti, both from Rome and completed by 1902. Other decorators included Giulio Moschetti and Vincenzo Cardona.

The palace and its gardens are now open to the public, and are also a wedding venue. Two restaurants are also located within the palace.