The State Archive of Palermo, established under the name “Grande Archivio” by the organic law of August 1, 1843, originates from the royal dispatch of February 11, 1814, encouraged by the Parliament of 1812, which established a General Archive to collect the writings produced by the authorities before the Kingdom of Sicily (under the Norman, Swabian, Angevin, and Aragonese dynasties), then, from 1412, of the Viceroyalty and finally, from 1816, of the Lieutenancy of the Kingdom of Naples.
The State Archive of Palermo is tasked with preserving, documenting, enhancing, and monitoring the archives of State offices no longer required for ordinary handling or the archives and documents that, in any case, have come into the possession of the State. As cultural assets, they are elements of the cultural heritage.
The State Archive, in addition to the archives of the pre-unification bodies and those of the territorial peripheral organs of the State, also preserves:
-notarial archives up to the first half of the 19th century
-archives of religious corporations suppressed in 1866
-private archives of Sicilian noble or notable families
Since 1975, the State Archive of Palermo has been a peripheral body of the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities
THE LOCATIONS
-The “Catena” headquarters of the State Archive of Palermo is located in the premises of the former convent of the Theatine Fathers, built in the early 1600s, next to the 15th-century church of Santa Maria della Catena.
-The “Gancia” headquarters is nearby, in the former Franciscan convent of Santa Maria degli Angeli, called della Gancia, also adjoining the namesake church dating back to the 15th century.
-The State Archive section of Termini Imerese depends on the State Archive of Palermo.
Information about State Archive of Palermo
Via Vittorio Emanuele, 31
90133 Palermo (Palermo)
0912510628 – 2510634 – 2514743
as-pa@beniculturali.it
https://www.archiviodistatodipalermo.it/
Source: MIBACT
