A Spanish family of royal origin, the Sandovals were descended from the kings of León. At the end of the 14th century, one branch settled in Naples while another settled in Sicily. The Sandoval family acquired the Zisa Palace in the 17th century and carried out a series of transformations and renovations to the building and the surrounding area. The marble coat of arms with the two lions above the entrance arch of the Zisa belongs to the Sandovals.
