Cassa di Risparmio: façade
by BASILE, Ernesto, Photo
Although most of Basile’s work was for private patrons, his public buildings in Palermo include the Cassa di Risparmio (1907-12) and the uninspiring church of Santa Rosalia (1928), his last work.
The historical banking institution was founded as “Cassa di Risparmio Vittorio Emanuele II for the Sicilian provinces” on 31 October 1861 to celebrate the first anniversary of the Plebiscite for the unification of Italy. In 1887 the administrators of the bank purchased part of a former convent for their headquarter. It was enlarged and completed from 1907 to 1912 by the architect Ernesto Basile.