Construction and Chiaramonte period The palace was commissioned in the early 14th century by
Giovanni “il Vecchio” Chiaramonte, one of the most powerful nobles of Sicily. Building work began around 1307 and continued through the later 14th century, with additions under his successors. Designed as both a fortified residence and a statement of dynastic prestige, it became the Chiaramonte family’s principal seat in Palermo and is considered the prototype of the so-called
Chiaramontan Gothic style. The palace symbolised the Chiaramonte’s political influence during their control of the
County of Modica. Following the execution of
Andrea Chiaramonte in 1392 and the forfeiture of family lands, the Steri passed into royal hands.
Royal and Spanish rule Under the Aragonese—
John II and
Ferdinand II—and later the Spanish Habsburgs from
Charles V, the Steri served as a viceregal residence and administrative seat; institutional summaries also note royal/viceregal use and parliamentary meetings. From 1468 to 1517 it housed the viceroys during works at the Palazzo Reale (
Palazzo dei Normanni). A municipal summary also records later use by the customs administration. From the early 17th century the Steri became Palermo’s seat of the
Inquisition (the Sicilian tribunal), formally the Tribunal of the Holy Office. In this context a
tribunale (tribunal) was a church court that investigated and prosecuted offences against Catholic doctrine, such as heresy. Proceedings typically involved inquiry, interrogations, and sentencing; punishments ranged from penances and fines to imprisonment, with cases referred to secular authorities for enforcement when required. Institutional and scholarly summaries place the Inquisition’s Palermo phase at the Steri broadly from about 1600–1601 into the 18th century; focused studies on the prison evidence narrow the operating span of the Steri cells to 1604–1782. Later interventions emphasised the palace’s role as the prototype of
Chiaramontan Gothic architecture, removing later accretions to restore the 14th-century appearance. Since 1943 the Steri has formed part of the
University of Palermo, serving as the seat of the rector and housing university museums and collections. Today it functions as a cultural complex open to the public, with spaces for exhibitions, conferences, and guided visits, as well as the permanent display of the prison graffiti. ==Architecture==