translated with AI
Falcone Palace is located along Via Garibaldi, in the heart of the Borgo di Roccella. It should be noted that in past centuries the Borgo was considered the entire district that included the buildings of the current Via Bernardo, where such construction stands, and Via Girolace, up to the Arena stream. Over time, additional dwellings from the surrounding alleys were added to this Borgo neighborhood, giving rise to a new documentary designation: Borgo Maggiore.
During the 1900s, Falcone Palace stood out for its nobility and elegance amidst a neighborhood predominantly composed of ground-floor tenements, owned mainly by master craftsmen, artisans, and farmers.The palace still retains traces of Liberty-style decorations, which have bestowed upon it a certain charm and distinction from the rest of the nearby residences, mostly lacking any noteworthy artistic or architectural elements. The rectangular-shaped palace features three spacious warehouses on the ground floor facing Via Garibaldi, with the entrance gate and staircase leading to the upper rooms in the center.
Especially in the post-war period and for decades thereafter, the stretch of road in front of the warehouses was the most lively and frequented place in the entire Borgo. This dynamism was mainly due to the respected figure of “Principale Falconi,” as known in Roccella, namely, Mr. Vincenzo Falcone. The warehouses of the Palace housed a variety store, one of the most well-stocked and exclusive in Roccella and its surroundings: this retail outlet was directly managed by Principale Falcone.
After Mr. Vincenzo’s death in 1931, the commercial activity was taken over by his son Italo Vincenzo, affectionately nicknamed “‘U Principalinu” (the young Principal). The uniqueness of this store lay in its ability to fulfill any request for tools and accessories for any artisanal activity: those who entered to shop never left empty-handed.
It is worth mentioning the items that could be purchased from the “Principal” necessary for both the people and the artisans. Here are some, categorized by artisanal trades:
- Masons: trowels, nails, hammers, pliers, metal buckets, etc.
- Cobblers: various types of pliers and tongs, awls, “trincetti” (small nails of all sizes), “attacci” (shoemaker’s tacks), rubber, putty, hemp skeins for stitching soles, thread, “ferruzzi” (small iron pieces), wooden shoe stretchers, shoe laces, and much more.
- Carpenters: various tongs, squares, planes, saws of all kinds, hammers, nails, screws, bolts, door hinges, locks, various handles, bolts, bolts, and door latches, etc.
- Moreover, household necessities for housewives in their daily needs: warp yarns for loom of all kinds, tube dye for dyeing fabrics, caustic soda for homemade soap, kerosene for lamps, electrical materials, various brushes and paint for painters, ropes, agricultural tools, etc.
For the storage of all the merchandise for sale, in addition to the three warehouses facing Via Garibaldi, the corresponding rear rooms inside the Palace were used.
The main warehouse was equipped with a sales counter where, prominently displayed, stood a two-pan balance scale with various calibrated weights beside it. The walls were furnished up to the ceiling with cabinets, showcases, and glass cabinets, all filled with merchandise for sale.
In the last decades, when the commercial activity was inherited by “Principalino” Falcone, gradually the variety store became one of the main centers of conversation in the Borgo. In addition to the sales counter and various showcases, there were also chairs that were always occupied by people engaged in conversation at any time of the day. The constant flow of Roccella residents who entered for purchases allowed to know the latest news of the town, which became the subject of discussion among those present. Passing by the Palace, the voices of the people present were incessant. They talked about politics, work, parties, events, illnesses, and, of course, also local gossip.
Currently, the palace is privately owned by the heirs of the Falcone family.