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B&B Palazzo Tornabene

The House B & B Palazzo Tornabene is located in the historic center of Catania, between Piazza Vincenzo Bellini, which houses the magnificent Teatro Massimo, and Pazza UniversitY, one of the most spectacular squares of the historic center of Catania, in a marvelous corner that combines history, art, folklore, Mediterranean tastes and flavors.

The property is located in the area of ​​high cultural and historic value in ceatro baroque city, recently acquired the assets of UNESCO, in a building dating back to the early 700 * (Palazzo Tomabene) from which it takes its name. recently restored to its former glory.

The area of ​​the famous crossroads Catania scene, is characterized by an intense nightlife, which offers fun and entertainment, in a relay between pubs, pizzerias and locals that light up the alleys of the old town, with streets and squares that become "offshoot" activities, opening the cafe concert the city.

Our Story

During Garibaldi's revolution dated back in May of 1860, extremily important was the presence of this woman known as Peppa a Cannunera!

May 1860: at the news that Garibaldi and his troops were advancing, the patriots of Catania,after the failed attempts of the 8th and the 10th of April, decided to arise,free of weapons and ammonitions,leaving the city,manned by two thousand soldiers of General Thomas Clancy,to organize addressed to Adrano with young guys named "Picciotti"with Colonel Giuseppe Poulet. On the 24th they entered Mascalucia where the laywer Martin Special erected the flag,then on to point in Catania where there was a state of seige, while many took refuge in the counsulate of France and Great Britain where he had established the Commitee of the insurgency of Marquise Domenico Bonaccorsi Casalotto and the Prince Joachim Biscari, despite three thousand soldiers were about to leave Girgenti and Caltanissetta to reach Catania. When the 29th of April arrive the news that Garibaldi had reached Palermo and after a dramatic meeting it was decided to take the plunge. At dawn of the 31st ,while the bells and the flag announcing the insurgency, a team of young people shouting" Unity and Freedom" launched against the Royal. A thousand volunteers from Mascalucia reached Porta Aci and General Clary order bombing the city from a warship and from Castello Ursino. The columns of Poulet bumped against the barricades erected by University Square with library books.

One young girl names Giuseppina show up. She is a very brave girl from a town named Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto. We have different versions of her life: she was born between 1826 or maybe 1841, daughter of unknown parents or maybe some extra marital affair of this man Antonino Mazzei middleman of citrus fruit. She could also been known as Bolognari, Bolognara or Bolognani which refear to the nurse who took care of her since birth or a certain Giorgio who adopted her, or maybe even Calcagno a certain Maria ,who took care of babies without parents. At the age of 12 she was a servant or maybe a horse keeper in Catania or even a caochwoman. The story tells us that her face was devastated from a smallpox and that she had a friend, the young Vanni.

Her nickname is Peppa a Cannunera from her heroic act and she deserve a medal of honor for her military act and a gratification for 216 ducat. The " Bulignanina" her other nickname, she united with the rebels and help them to carry a gun hidden from April 6th at home of the family Dottore, to hoist and install it on a cart in the lobby of the Palace Tornabene in Ogninella. Suddenly opened the door, the woman, turned on the fuse,drain a cannon against the Neapolitans who, taken by surprise in the streets of Loggia and Mancini, took shelter behind the barricades between Univerity Square and the municipal building, leaving San Euplio Reina full of bodies and a artillery piece, which the insurgent were unable to seize for the continuos shots,but Peppa manage to pull it using a noose made from a sturdy rope.Around noon, while the resistance's weakened for the delay of the reinforcements of Nicola Fabrizi,cavalry try to circumvent the insurgence. Our heroin at the head of a group of peasants who stopped in Piazza San Placido from Via Mazza,dagging the cannon to place it on the parterre of Palace Biscari Marina. Two squadrons of lancers from the Cathedral were about to deliver the charge. The insurgent left alone Peppa that remained behind the gun carriage,mocked the calvary, assault the causing it, spraying the tip of the cannon with some gun powder and light that up, giving the impression that the shot didnt actually fired. Peppa shoot at the right moment decimating the enemy and saving herself. The epilouge of the bloody day was negative for the patriots: Poulet was wounded and after 7 hours of warfare, he order the retreat. For 3 days the reaction of the troops against the population was terrifying. After the short-lived success ,Clary, knew that Garibaldi marched towards Milazzo, left Catania. The epic deeds of Peppa were also reported by foreign newspaper. Peppa after serving the National Guard, participate in the liberation of Siracusa; between 1871 or 1876 she moved to Messina where dressed like a man attended taverns and barracks, playing cards, drinking and smoking. Fall into the hands of usurers died between 1884 and 1900