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ARTS IN PALERMO
Palermo is noted for its rich history, culture and architecture, playing an important role throughout much of its existence. Palermo shines in the center of the Gulf bearing its name, a city with a rich past and which in ancient times was the melting pot of European and Arab civilizations, testimonials of which still abound. The province is full of attractions. Numerous tourists are attracted to the city for its good Mediterranean weather, its renowned gastronomy and restaurants, its Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque churches, palaces and buildings, and its nightlife and music. Palermo has a large architectural heritage and is notable for its many Norman buildings.
MAIN SIGHTS
Cathedral
Palermo Cathedral is the city’s cathedral and main church. It is characterized by the presence of different architectural styles, due to a long history of additions, alterations and restorations, the last of which occurred in the 18th century. The present neoclassical appearance dates from the work carried out over the two decades 1781 to 1801, and supervised by Ferdinando Fuga. The cathedral is located at Corso Vittorio Emanuele, corner of Via Matteo Bonello, Palermo. The church was erected in 1185 by Walter Opamil (or Walter of the Mill), the Anglo-Norman archbishop of Palermo and King William II’s minister, on the area of an earlier Byzantine basilica. The medieval edifice had a basilica plan with three apses, of which only some minor architectural elements survive today. The main façade is on Western side and has the appearance set in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is flanked by two towers and has a Gothic portal surmounted by a niche with a precious 15th century Madonna.
Palazzo dei Normanni and Cappella palatina
Also known as the Royal Palace, the Palazzo dei Normanni is currently the seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly. The main points of interest are the amazing Palatine Chapel and the Royal Apartments,
On the second floor the palace houses the Palatine Chapel, one of the most precious Italian heritage. In 1130, after the coronation, Roger II wanted a wonderful Chapel to be built in the Palace to represent a meeting of styles and cultures. Byzantine, Islamic and Latin workers were involved in the construction. It is dedicated to St. Peter the Apostle and in the dome you can see the image of Christ Pantocrator, while in the presbytery there are ancient mosaics with scenes from the New Testament. The aisles were perhaps completed during the reign of William I and events in the life of St. Peter and Paul are shown, just as in the central one there are those of the Old Testament. The ceiling is in muqarnas wood, in a rare type of painting.
San Giovanni degli Eremiti
San giovanni degli Eremiti is near the Palazzo dei Normanni. The church’s origins date to the 6th century. Later, after the Islamic conquest of Sicily, it was converted into a mosque. After the establishment of the Norman domination of southern Italy, it was returned to the Christians by Roger II of Sicily who, around 1136, entrusted it to the Benedictine monks of Saint William of Vercelli. The church was extensively modified during the following centuries. It’s notable for its brilliant red domes, which show clearly the persistence of Arab influences in Sicily at the time of its reconstruction in the 12th century. The church lies with a flank on a square construction , which was probably a former mosque. The church is on the Latin Cross plan with a nave and two aisles and three apses. Each of the square spans is surmounted by a dome. The presbytery, ending with a niche, has also a dome.
San Giuseppe dei Teatini
It is located near the Quattro Canti, and it’s considered one of the most outstanding examples of the Sicilian Baroque in Palermo.
The church was built at the beginning of the 17th century by Giacomo Besio, a Genoese member of the Theatines order. It has majestic though simple façade. In the centre niche is housed a state of San Gaetano, founder of the Theatines order. Another striking feature is the large dome with a blue and yellow majolica covering. The interior has a Latin cross plan with a nave and two aisles, divided by marble columns of variable height.
Chiesa del Gesù
The Chiesa del Gesù (named olso Casa Professa) is the mother church of the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic religious order also known as the Jesuits. Officially named Chiesa del Santissimo Nome di Gesù all’Argentina, its façade is the first truly baroque façade, introducing the baroque style into architecture.
First conceived in 1551 by Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits Society of Jesus, the Gesù was also the home of the Superior General of the Society of Jesus until the suppression of the order in 1773. The façade of the church is divided into two sections; the lower section is divided by six pairs of pilasters with Corinthian capitals, while the upper section is divided with four pairs of pilasters. The present high altar was constructed towards the middle of the 19th century. It is dominated by four columns under a neoclassical pediment.
Chiesa della Martorana
The Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio or San Nicolò dei Greci, commonly called the Martorana, overlooking the renowned Piazza Bellini, is part of the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church, Diocese Byzantine-greek Rite of Piana degli Albanesi. The foundation charter of the church, in Greek and Arabic, is preserved and dates to 1143. In 1193-94, a convent of Benedictine nuns was founded on adjacent property by Eloisa Martorana. In 1433-34, under the rule of King Alfonso of Aragon, this convent absorbed the church, which has since then been commonly known as La Martorana.
The original church was built in the form of a compact cross-insquare (Greek cross plan). The three apses in the east adjoin directly on the naos, instead of being separated by an additional bay, as was usual in contemporary Byzantine architecture in the Balkans and Asia Minor. The campanile, which is richly decorated with three orders of arches and lodges with mullioned windows, still serves as the main entrance to the church. Significant later additions to the church include the Baroque façade which today faces onto the piazza.
Chiesa di San Cataldo
This church is a notable example of the Arabian – Norman architecture which flourished in Sicily under the Norman domination of the island. The church is annexed to that of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio. Founded around 1160 by admiral Majone di Bari, in the 18th century the church was used as a post office. In the 19th century it was restored and brought back to a form more similar to the original Mediaeval edifice. It has a rectangular plan with blind arches, partially occupied by windows. The ceiling has three characteristics red, bulge domes (cubole) and Arab-syle merlons. The interior has a nave with two aisles. The naked walls are faced by spolia columns with Byzantine style arcades. The pavement is the original one and has a splendid mosaic decoration. Also original is the main altar.
Fontana Pretoria
Just a few steps from Piazza Bellini you arrive in Piazza Pretoria, where the homonymous fountain stands, considered by many to be one of the most beautiful in Italy. Its construction dates back to the middle of the 16th century in Florence, but it was then moved to Palermo towards the end of the century. For Sicilians it is the Fountain of Shame, because of the nudity of the statues that compose it.
I Quattro canti
Quattro Canti (or Piazza Vigliena) is an octagonal square at the intersection of the two main streets of Palermo, Via Vittorio Emanuele and Via Maqueda. Here stand out the convex facades of four seventeenth century. The division into three superimposed orders (Doric, Ionic and Corinthian) is the classical one and, in the centre, we find fountains topped by statues of the four seasons.
Mercato del Capo and Mercato di Ballarò
The Mercato del Capo is one of the most famous and a walk among its stalls marked to the rhythm of the screams of the respective merchants will make you really say "I'm in Sicily! Even more extensive and characteristic, the market of Ballarò. This market is really immense, it includes many types of stalls, from the gastronomic ones to the second-hand and vintage ones. Of course, some are more traditional and others less so, but it will be really unique to get lost in the streets wondering "Where does it end?". Absolutely not to be missed.
Kalsa and Santa Maria dello Spasimo
Kalsa is one of the historical districts and the district, built during the Islamic domination, was the fortified citadel where the emir and his ministers lived. The area, once extremely degraded, has seen a rapid improvement in recent years. Today the Kalsa is a very picturesque working-class district.
Not to be missed in this area, which boasts a soul of its own, is the Church of Santa Maria dello Spasimo. It is actually a convent complex, built in the early 16th century. The part that can be visited is built around a cloister with clean lines. At the end stands the church, to be noted that it is the only example of Nordic Gothic in Sicily. It is tall and slender, and its central open aisle (never finished) is undoubtedly what makes the complex even more unique.
Teatro Politeama e Teatro Massimo
Garibaldi Theatre.
Its construction began in 1865 and over the years there has been a succession of entertainments both cinema and theatre. Since 2001 the theatre has also been home to the Sicilian Symphonic Orchestra.
Teatro Massimo is the largest opera house in Italy. Thanks to its monumentality, it aroused the envy of many people at its opening in the last years of the 19th century.
Palazzo Abatellis - Museum
Palazzo Abatellis (also known as Palazzo Patella) is a palace in Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy, located in the Kalsa quarter. It is home to the Galleria Regionale della Sicilia, the Gallery of Art for the Sicilian region. The palazzo, an example of Gothic-Catalan architecture, was designed in the 15th century by Matteo Carnelivari, at the time working in Palermo at the palazzo Aiutamicristo. It was the residence of Francesco Abatellis (or Patella), port master of the Kingdom of Sicily.
After the death of Abatellis, it remained to his wife, and, after her death, it was given to a female monastery. Several modifications were carried on to adapt it to monastic life. They included a chapel, built on the left side of the chapel (1535–1541), hiding one of the façades. In the 18th century, following the construction of a bigger church (the current Santa Maria della Pietà), the chapel was abolished and divided into several rooms. The front part was used as parlatory, while the rear section, with the altar removed, was turned into a series of storage rooms.
During the night between 16 and 17 April 1943 the palace was struck during an Allied air bombing: the loggia, the portico, the south-western sector and the wall of the western tower crumbled down. The palace was then restored, and it was decided to use it for the Gallery of medieval collection. Works were directed by the architects Mario Guiotto and, later, Armando Dillon. They were completed in 1953, and Carlo Scarpa was commissioned the setup of the art gallery, which was opened on 23 June 1954.
The regional gallery is home to many works acquired when several religious orders were suppressed in 1866. They were previously housed in the Pinacoteca della Regia Università and, from 1866, in the Museo Nazionale of Palermo, which became a regional museum when Sicily acquired autonomous status. The ground floor contains 12th century wooden works, 14th and 15th century works including some by Antonello Gagini, painted maiolica from the 14th-17th centuries, the 15th-century Bust of a Gentlewoman by Francesco Laurana and painted panels of wooden ceilings. The large fresco of the Triumph of Death (most likely dating to 1445), is exhibited in the former chapel.
On the first floor is the museum's most famous work, the Virgin Annunciate, by Antonello da Messina (15th century), considered among Italy's best Renaissance paintings. Also present are three panels with St. Augustine, St. Gregory the Great and St. Jerome also by Antonello, once part of a polyptych now destroyed, and Vouet's Saint Agatha's Vision of Saint Peter in Prison. The museum contains the Netherlandish Malvagna triptych by the Early Netherlandish painters Jan Gossaert and Gerard David, and a Deposition by Jan Provost. It also houses a depiction of Moses by Pietro Novelli.
Palazzo Branciforti
It was built during the 16th century on the edge of the Castello a Mare, and was first the private residence of the Count of Raccuja, then it was purchased in the early 17th century by Giuseppe Branciforte, Prince of Pietraperzia. It was one of the most sumptuous patrician residences in the city.
The Palace has undergone several renovations in the last two centuries. Interventions that have not always respected its original nucleus and layout. The first works took place from 1801 when the palace was the seat of the Monte di Santa Rosalia (purchased at the end of the 18th century - the Branciforte family had moved to another palace, to the Marina). The balconies of the two fronts of the building and the windows closed by iron gratings were demolished.
More important changes occurred in 1848 after the damage caused by a fire caused by the cannonade during the Sicilian anti-Bourbon revolution of January 17. Many of the times they collapsed and many furniture and objects ended up in ashes. The execution of the works of arrangement led to the upheaval of some elements, the disappearance of marble columns because closed inside new walls, the failure to restore the slabs between first and second floor with the consequent creation of new rooms, double height and more. The current restoration was carried out by Gae Aulenti.
Piazza Marina
Piazza Marina is a square of Palermo. It is located down the Cassaro street, in the quarter of the Kalsa, within the historic centre of Palermo. The square is dominated by the great Garibaldi Garden. Ficus macrophylla - In the Middle Ages the area of Piazza Marina was a swamp connected to the ancient port of Palermo, the Cala. During the 14th century the area was cleared. In the Spaniard period, the space of the square was used by the Inquisition (whose headquarters was the adjacent Palazzo Chiaramonte) for its convictions
In 1863, Giovan Battista Filippo Basile designed the Garibaldi Garden at the centre of Piazza Marina. This garden is famous because the biggest Ficus macrophylla of Europe is situated in it. In the zone of Piazza Marina are also located several buildings like Palazzo Chiaramonte, Palazzo Galletti di San Cataldo, Palazzo Fatta, Palazzo Notarbartolo di Villarosa Dagnino, Palazzo delle Finanze, the Hotel de France, the Teatro Libero, the churches of Santa Maria dei Miracoli, San Giovanni dei Napoletani and Santa Maria della Catena and the Fontana del Garraffo.
Orto Botanico
The Botanical Garden of Palermo is a museum and didactic-scientific institution of the Service Centre of the Museum System of the University of Palermo, which is based there. Adjacent to Villa Giulia, it is accessed from Via Lincoln, on the border of the Kalsa district of Palermo.
The Garden hosts over 12,000 different species of plants. The entrance to the Botanical Garden in the 19th century, engraving the great Ficus macrophylla of 1845, symbol of the Garden Its origin dates back to 1779, the year in which the Accademia dei Regi Studi, establishing the Botany and Medical Matters, assigned a modest plot of land to establish a small botanical garden to be used for the cultivation of medicinal plants useful for teaching and public health.
This first Garden soon turned out to be insufficient for the needs and in 1786 it was decided to move it to its present location, at the Piano di Sant'Erasmo, at the time sadly famous as the site of the fires of the Holy Inquisition. In 1787 Goethe on a trip to Palermo visited the botanical garden and made an enchanted description of it, given its naturalistic interests:
"In the public garden near the marina, I spent hours in the quietest of quiet. It is the most beautiful place in the world. Despite the regularity of its design, it has a fairytale feel; it dates back a few years ago, but it transports us back to ancient times". (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Journey to Italy)
In 1789 the construction of the main body of the Garden was started, consisting of a central building, the Gymnasium, and two lateral bodies, the Tepidarium and the Calidarium, designed in neoclassical style by the French architect Léon Dufourny.
Near the Gymnasium there is the oldest part of the Garden, called Sistema linneo, also designed by the architect Léon Dufourny with a rectangular scheme divided into four parallelograms. On the instructions of the Franciscan father Bernardino da Ucria, a distinguished botanist, the species in this portion of the garden were arranged according to the Linnean taxonomy, a classification system developed by Carl von Linné and presented in Species Plantarum in 1753.
The new Garden was inaugurated in 1795 and in 1798 it was enriched by the Acquarium, a large tank in which numerous species of aquatic plants thrive. In 1823 the Serra Maria Carolina was completed. The great Ficus magnolioide, which is the symbol of the modern Garden, was imported in 1845 from the Norfolk Islands (Australia). Following subsequent enlargements, in 1892 the current extension of about 10 hectares was reached.
In 1913 a Colonial Garden was added to it, which was later suppressed. Since 1985 the Garden has been in the hands of the Department of Botanical Sciences of the University of Palermo. In 1993, in the context of a project to safeguard the genetic heritage of the flora of the Mediterranean area, the germplasm bank was established.
WALLS AND CASTLES
Walls in Palermo
In Palermo there are various types of walls including the walls Punic - Roman, the most ancient city walls. They divided the city into two different districts, the Paleapoli (or old town) and Neapolis (modern or city). Other walls date from the Arab rule and within the palace was built by the Normans (called al-Kasr). During the Norman period were retained many of the existing fortifications. With the growth of the population took the shape of the walls of the old town, still surrounded by Renaissance walls. There are still remains of the old wall from the 14th century that contained the city for most of its history.
Castellammare
Little remains of it beyond the gatehouse, part of a large round tower and the foundations of its moat. It is located about midway between the Cala and the main port, at the end of Via Cavour. Castelloammare has a particularly distinguished history; it was already a minor seaside fortification in Arab times, flanking the slave-trading quarter outside the city of Bal’harm. The structure seems not to have figured much in the Norman battle which led to conquest of Bal’harm in 1071. The Normans expanded the fortress, adding a round tower not un like that of Windsor Castle. Well into the Spanish era Castello al mare remained the city’s principal coastal defence.Local rioting during 1860 and in the years following led to the destruction of most of the castle as Palermitans brought down the walls and appropriated the stones to build homes in the vicinity. What remained of the castle was abandoned, and following the Second World War some buildings were illegally erected around it. It has been partially restored.
Castello di Maredolce
The castle of Favara or “Maredolce” takes the name from the park which spread from Mount Grifone as far as the sea. This park is known with the name of Maredolce because at the origin was a spring forming a little sea. The building of the Castle is attributed to Emir Giafar, Emir Kalbita Yusufs son, and under King Ruggero II the Castle became Royal “sollazzo”. The plan of the castle is rectangular with an inner courtyard in the main front there were four entrances open. In the south wing the most important rooms in the Castle open and at the end of them there are two large halls. Along this wing 3 series of cross voult rooms with square plan opens.
Countless and tasty food and wine delicacies are what this land offers.
To start are the Arancine and the “pani ca’ meusa", a roll of bread stuffed with veal entrails. Unforgettable dishes of the territory are the pasta with sardines, baked “aneletti” al forno and “sfinciune”. Other local specialties are the “cchi mascolini” pasta, “spaghetti alla carrettiera,” typical Ustica fish soup, and fish broth with “attuappateddi” pasta. Fish-based dishes stand out among the second courses: “beccafico” sardines, tuna with onions, tuna with “ragù” sauce, and hakes cooked the Palermo way. Lamb and mutton meat are the specialties of the Madonie area. As to desserts, there is a wide range of martorana fruits, from the “cassate” to “cannoli” and the “mostaccioli,” not to mention the notable production of wine among which the outstanding Corvo di Casteldaccia and Partinico wines.
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Palermo
ARTS IN PALERMO
Palermo is noted for its rich history, culture and architecture, playing an important role throughout much of its existence. Palermo shines in the center of the Gulf bearing its name, a city with a rich past and which in ancient times was the melting pot of European and Arab civilizations, testimonials of which still abound. The province is full of attractions. Numerous tourists are attracted to the city for its good Mediterranean weather, its renowned gastronomy and restaurants, its Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque churches, palaces and buildings, and its nightlife and music. Palermo has a large architectural heritage and is notable for its many Norman buildings.
MAIN SIGHTS
Cathedral
Palermo Cathedral is the city’s cathedral and main church. It is characterized by the presence of different architectural styles, due to a long history of additions, alterations and restorations, the last of which occurred in the 18th century. The present neoclassical appearance dates from the work carried out over the two decades 1781 to 1801, and supervised by Ferdinando Fuga. The cathedral is located at Corso Vittorio Emanuele, corner of Via Matteo Bonello, Palermo. The church was erected in 1185 by Walter Opamil (or Walter of the Mill), the Anglo-Norman archbishop of Palermo and King William II’s minister, on the area of an earlier Byzantine basilica. The medieval edifice had a basilica plan with three apses, of which only some minor architectural elements survive today. The main façade is on Western side and has the appearance set in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is flanked by two towers and has a Gothic portal surmounted by a niche with a precious 15th century Madonna.
Palazzo dei Normanni and Cappella palatina
Also known as the Royal Palace, the Palazzo dei Normanni is currently the seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly. The main points of interest are the amazing Palatine Chapel and the Royal Apartments,
On the second floor the palace houses the Palatine Chapel, one of the most precious Italian heritage. In 1130, after the coronation, Roger II wanted a wonderful Chapel to be built in the Palace to represent a meeting of styles and cultures. Byzantine, Islamic and Latin workers were involved in the construction. It is dedicated to St. Peter the Apostle and in the dome you can see the image of Christ Pantocrator, while in the presbytery there are ancient mosaics with scenes from the New Testament. The aisles were perhaps completed during the reign of William I and events in the life of St. Peter and Paul are shown, just as in the central one there are those of the Old Testament. The ceiling is in muqarnas wood, in a rare type of painting.
San Giovanni degli Eremiti
San giovanni degli Eremiti is near the Palazzo dei Normanni. The church’s origins date to the 6th century. Later, after the Islamic conquest of Sicily, it was converted into a mosque. After the establishment of the Norman domination of southern Italy, it was returned to the Christians by Roger II of Sicily who, around 1136, entrusted it to the Benedictine monks of Saint William of Vercelli. The church was extensively modified during the following centuries. It’s notable for its brilliant red domes, which show clearly the persistence of Arab influences in Sicily at the time of its reconstruction in the 12th century. The church lies with a flank on a square construction , which was probably a former mosque. The church is on the Latin Cross plan with a nave and two aisles and three apses. Each of the square spans is surmounted by a dome. The presbytery, ending with a niche, has also a dome.
San Giuseppe dei Teatini
It is located near the Quattro Canti, and it’s considered one of the most outstanding examples of the Sicilian Baroque in Palermo.
The church was built at the beginning of the 17th century by Giacomo Besio, a Genoese member of the Theatines order. It has majestic though simple façade. In the centre niche is housed a state of San Gaetano, founder of the Theatines order. Another striking feature is the large dome with a blue and yellow majolica covering. The interior has a Latin cross plan with a nave and two aisles, divided by marble columns of variable height.
Chiesa del Gesù
The Chiesa del Gesù (named olso Casa Professa) is the mother church of the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic religious order also known as the Jesuits. Officially named Chiesa del Santissimo Nome di Gesù all’Argentina, its façade is the first truly baroque façade, introducing the baroque style into architecture.
First conceived in 1551 by Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits Society of Jesus, the Gesù was also the home of the Superior General of the Society of Jesus until the suppression of the order in 1773. The façade of the church is divided into two sections; the lower section is divided by six pairs of pilasters with Corinthian capitals, while the upper section is divided with four pairs of pilasters. The present high altar was constructed towards the middle of the 19th century. It is dominated by four columns under a neoclassical pediment.
Chiesa della Martorana
The Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio or San Nicolò dei Greci, commonly called the Martorana, overlooking the renowned Piazza Bellini, is part of the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church, Diocese Byzantine-greek Rite of Piana degli Albanesi. The foundation charter of the church, in Greek and Arabic, is preserved and dates to 1143. In 1193-94, a convent of Benedictine nuns was founded on adjacent property by Eloisa Martorana. In 1433-34, under the rule of King Alfonso of Aragon, this convent absorbed the church, which has since then been commonly known as La Martorana.
The original church was built in the form of a compact cross-insquare (Greek cross plan). The three apses in the east adjoin directly on the naos, instead of being separated by an additional bay, as was usual in contemporary Byzantine architecture in the Balkans and Asia Minor. The campanile, which is richly decorated with three orders of arches and lodges with mullioned windows, still serves as the main entrance to the church. Significant later additions to the church include the Baroque façade which today faces onto the piazza.
Chiesa di San Cataldo
This church is a notable example of the Arabian – Norman architecture which flourished in Sicily under the Norman domination of the island. The church is annexed to that of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio. Founded around 1160 by admiral Majone di Bari, in the 18th century the church was used as a post office. In the 19th century it was restored and brought back to a form more similar to the original Mediaeval edifice. It has a rectangular plan with blind arches, partially occupied by windows. The ceiling has three characteristics red, bulge domes (cubole) and Arab-syle merlons. The interior has a nave with two aisles. The naked walls are faced by spolia columns with Byzantine style arcades. The pavement is the original one and has a splendid mosaic decoration. Also original is the main altar.
Fontana Pretoria
Just a few steps from Piazza Bellini you arrive in Piazza Pretoria, where the homonymous fountain stands, considered by many to be one of the most beautiful in Italy. Its construction dates back to the middle of the 16th century in Florence, but it was then moved to Palermo towards the end of the century. For Sicilians it is the Fountain of Shame, because of the nudity of the statues that compose it.
I Quattro canti
Quattro Canti (or Piazza Vigliena) is an octagonal square at the intersection of the two main streets of Palermo, Via Vittorio Emanuele and Via Maqueda. Here stand out the convex facades of four seventeenth century. The division into three superimposed orders (Doric, Ionic and Corinthian) is the classical one and, in the centre, we find fountains topped by statues of the four seasons.
Mercato del Capo and Mercato di Ballarò
The Mercato del Capo is one of the most famous and a walk among its stalls marked to the rhythm of the screams of the respective merchants will make you really say "I'm in Sicily! Even more extensive and characteristic, the market of Ballarò. This market is really immense, it includes many types of stalls, from the gastronomic ones to the second-hand and vintage ones. Of course, some are more traditional and others less so, but it will be really unique to get lost in the streets wondering "Where does it end?". Absolutely not to be missed.
Kalsa and Santa Maria dello Spasimo
Kalsa is one of the historical districts and the district, built during the Islamic domination, was the fortified citadel where the emir and his ministers lived. The area, once extremely degraded, has seen a rapid improvement in recent years. Today the Kalsa is a very picturesque working-class district.
Not to be missed in this area, which boasts a soul of its own, is the Church of Santa Maria dello Spasimo. It is actually a convent complex, built in the early 16th century. The part that can be visited is built around a cloister with clean lines. At the end stands the church, to be noted that it is the only example of Nordic Gothic in Sicily. It is tall and slender, and its central open aisle (never finished) is undoubtedly what makes the complex even more unique.
Teatro Politeama e Teatro Massimo
Garibaldi Theatre.
Its construction began in 1865 and over the years there has been a succession of entertainments both cinema and theatre. Since 2001 the theatre has also been home to the Sicilian Symphonic Orchestra.
Teatro Massimo is the largest opera house in Italy. Thanks to its monumentality, it aroused the envy of many people at its opening in the last years of the 19th century.
Palazzo Abatellis - Museum
Palazzo Abatellis (also known as Palazzo Patella) is a palace in Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy, located in the Kalsa quarter. It is home to the Galleria Regionale della Sicilia, the Gallery of Art for the Sicilian region. The palazzo, an example of Gothic-Catalan architecture, was designed in the 15th century by Matteo Carnelivari, at the time working in Palermo at the palazzo Aiutamicristo. It was the residence of Francesco Abatellis (or Patella), port master of the Kingdom of Sicily.
After the death of Abatellis, it remained to his wife, and, after her death, it was given to a female monastery. Several modifications were carried on to adapt it to monastic life. They included a chapel, built on the left side of the chapel (1535–1541), hiding one of the façades. In the 18th century, following the construction of a bigger church (the current Santa Maria della Pietà), the chapel was abolished and divided into several rooms. The front part was used as parlatory, while the rear section, with the altar removed, was turned into a series of storage rooms.
During the night between 16 and 17 April 1943 the palace was struck during an Allied air bombing: the loggia, the portico, the south-western sector and the wall of the western tower crumbled down. The palace was then restored, and it was decided to use it for the Gallery of medieval collection. Works were directed by the architects Mario Guiotto and, later, Armando Dillon. They were completed in 1953, and Carlo Scarpa was commissioned the setup of the art gallery, which was opened on 23 June 1954.
The regional gallery is home to many works acquired when several religious orders were suppressed in 1866. They were previously housed in the Pinacoteca della Regia Università and, from 1866, in the Museo Nazionale of Palermo, which became a regional museum when Sicily acquired autonomous status. The ground floor contains 12th century wooden works, 14th and 15th century works including some by Antonello Gagini, painted maiolica from the 14th-17th centuries, the 15th-century Bust of a Gentlewoman by Francesco Laurana and painted panels of wooden ceilings. The large fresco of the Triumph of Death (most likely dating to 1445), is exhibited in the former chapel.
On the first floor is the museum's most famous work, the Virgin Annunciate, by Antonello da Messina (15th century), considered among Italy's best Renaissance paintings. Also present are three panels with St. Augustine, St. Gregory the Great and St. Jerome also by Antonello, once part of a polyptych now destroyed, and Vouet's Saint Agatha's Vision of Saint Peter in Prison. The museum contains the Netherlandish Malvagna triptych by the Early Netherlandish painters Jan Gossaert and Gerard David, and a Deposition by Jan Provost. It also houses a depiction of Moses by Pietro Novelli.
Palazzo Branciforti
It was built during the 16th century on the edge of the Castello a Mare, and was first the private residence of the Count of Raccuja, then it was purchased in the early 17th century by Giuseppe Branciforte, Prince of Pietraperzia. It was one of the most sumptuous patrician residences in the city.
The Palace has undergone several renovations in the last two centuries. Interventions that have not always respected its original nucleus and layout. The first works took place from 1801 when the palace was the seat of the Monte di Santa Rosalia (purchased at the end of the 18th century - the Branciforte family had moved to another palace, to the Marina). The balconies of the two fronts of the building and the windows closed by iron gratings were demolished.
More important changes occurred in 1848 after the damage caused by a fire caused by the cannonade during the Sicilian anti-Bourbon revolution of January 17. Many of the times they collapsed and many furniture and objects ended up in ashes. The execution of the works of arrangement led to the upheaval of some elements, the disappearance of marble columns because closed inside new walls, the failure to restore the slabs between first and second floor with the consequent creation of new rooms, double height and more. The current restoration was carried out by Gae Aulenti.
Piazza Marina
Piazza Marina is a square of Palermo. It is located down the Cassaro street, in the quarter of the Kalsa, within the historic centre of Palermo. The square is dominated by the great Garibaldi Garden. Ficus macrophylla - In the Middle Ages the area of Piazza Marina was a swamp connected to the ancient port of Palermo, the Cala. During the 14th century the area was cleared. In the Spaniard period, the space of the square was used by the Inquisition (whose headquarters was the adjacent Palazzo Chiaramonte) for its convictions
In 1863, Giovan Battista Filippo Basile designed the Garibaldi Garden at the centre of Piazza Marina. This garden is famous because the biggest Ficus macrophylla of Europe is situated in it. In the zone of Piazza Marina are also located several buildings like Palazzo Chiaramonte, Palazzo Galletti di San Cataldo, Palazzo Fatta, Palazzo Notarbartolo di Villarosa Dagnino, Palazzo delle Finanze, the Hotel de France, the Teatro Libero, the churches of Santa Maria dei Miracoli, San Giovanni dei Napoletani and Santa Maria della Catena and the Fontana del Garraffo.
Orto Botanico
The Botanical Garden of Palermo is a museum and didactic-scientific institution of the Service Centre of the Museum System of the University of Palermo, which is based there. Adjacent to Villa Giulia, it is accessed from Via Lincoln, on the border of the Kalsa district of Palermo.
The Garden hosts over 12,000 different species of plants. The entrance to the Botanical Garden in the 19th century, engraving the great Ficus macrophylla of 1845, symbol of the Garden Its origin dates back to 1779, the year in which the Accademia dei Regi Studi, establishing the Botany and Medical Matters, assigned a modest plot of land to establish a small botanical garden to be used for the cultivation of medicinal plants useful for teaching and public health.
This first Garden soon turned out to be insufficient for the needs and in 1786 it was decided to move it to its present location, at the Piano di Sant'Erasmo, at the time sadly famous as the site of the fires of the Holy Inquisition. In 1787 Goethe on a trip to Palermo visited the botanical garden and made an enchanted description of it, given its naturalistic interests:
"In the public garden near the marina, I spent hours in the quietest of quiet. It is the most beautiful place in the world. Despite the regularity of its design, it has a fairytale feel; it dates back a few years ago, but it transports us back to ancient times". (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Journey to Italy)
In 1789 the construction of the main body of the Garden was started, consisting of a central building, the Gymnasium, and two lateral bodies, the Tepidarium and the Calidarium, designed in neoclassical style by the French architect Léon Dufourny.
Near the Gymnasium there is the oldest part of the Garden, called Sistema linneo, also designed by the architect Léon Dufourny with a rectangular scheme divided into four parallelograms. On the instructions of the Franciscan father Bernardino da Ucria, a distinguished botanist, the species in this portion of the garden were arranged according to the Linnean taxonomy, a classification system developed by Carl von Linné and presented in Species Plantarum in 1753.
The new Garden was inaugurated in 1795 and in 1798 it was enriched by the Acquarium, a large tank in which numerous species of aquatic plants thrive. In 1823 the Serra Maria Carolina was completed. The great Ficus magnolioide, which is the symbol of the modern Garden, was imported in 1845 from the Norfolk Islands (Australia). Following subsequent enlargements, in 1892 the current extension of about 10 hectares was reached.
In 1913 a Colonial Garden was added to it, which was later suppressed. Since 1985 the Garden has been in the hands of the Department of Botanical Sciences of the University of Palermo. In 1993, in the context of a project to safeguard the genetic heritage of the flora of the Mediterranean area, the germplasm bank was established.
WALLS AND CASTLES
Walls in Palermo
In Palermo there are various types of walls including the walls Punic - Roman, the most ancient city walls. They divided the city into two different districts, the Paleapoli (or old town) and Neapolis (modern or city). Other walls date from the Arab rule and within the palace was built by the Normans (called al-Kasr). During the Norman period were retained many of the existing fortifications. With the growth of the population took the shape of the walls of the old town, still surrounded by Renaissance walls. There are still remains of the old wall from the 14th century that contained the city for most of its history.
Castellammare
Little remains of it beyond the gatehouse, part of a large round tower and the foundations of its moat. It is located about midway between the Cala and the main port, at the end of Via Cavour. Castelloammare has a particularly distinguished history; it was already a minor seaside fortification in Arab times, flanking the slave-trading quarter outside the city of Bal’harm. The structure seems not to have figured much in the Norman battle which led to conquest of Bal’harm in 1071. The Normans expanded the fortress, adding a round tower not un like that of Windsor Castle. Well into the Spanish era Castello al mare remained the city’s principal coastal defence.Local rioting during 1860 and in the years following led to the destruction of most of the castle as Palermitans brought down the walls and appropriated the stones to build homes in the vicinity. What remained of the castle was abandoned, and following the Second World War some buildings were illegally erected around it. It has been partially restored.
Castello di Maredolce
The castle of Favara or “Maredolce” takes the name from the park which spread from Mount Grifone as far as the sea. This park is known with the name of Maredolce because at the origin was a spring forming a little sea. The building of the Castle is attributed to Emir Giafar, Emir Kalbita Yusufs son, and under King Ruggero II the Castle became Royal “sollazzo”. The plan of the castle is rectangular with an inner courtyard in the main front there were four entrances open. In the south wing the most important rooms in the Castle open and at the end of them there are two large halls. Along this wing 3 series of cross voult rooms with square plan opens.
Countless and tasty food and wine delicacies are what this land offers.
To start are the Arancine and the “pani ca’ meusa", a roll of bread stuffed with veal entrails. Unforgettable dishes of the territory are the pasta with sardines, baked “aneletti” al forno and “sfinciune”. Other local specialties are the “cchi mascolini” pasta, “spaghetti alla carrettiera,” typical Ustica fish soup, and fish broth with “attuappateddi” pasta. Fish-based dishes stand out among the second courses: “beccafico” sardines, tuna with onions, tuna with “ragù” sauce, and hakes cooked the Palermo way. Lamb and mutton meat are the specialties of the Madonie area. As to desserts, there is a wide range of martorana fruits, from the “cassate” to “cannoli” and the “mostaccioli,” not to mention the notable production of wine among which the outstanding Corvo di Casteldaccia and Partinico wines.
Offerta gastronomica
si mangia bene, in un ambiente confortevole , pagando una cifra onesta
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Ristorante Le Mura
17/18/19 Foro Italico Umberto Isi mangia bene, in un ambiente confortevole , pagando una cifra onesta
'Nni Franco U'Vastiddaru
102 Via Vittorio Emanuelelo trovo il migliore come street food
Ciccio Passami l'Olio
4 Via Castrofilippobuona pizzeria
Gagini
35 Via dei Cassariottimo ristorante
Ristorante Carizzi d'amuri
21 Via Lungarinisi mangia bene in una atmosfera gradevole
Pizzeria Frida
37/38 Piazza Sant'Onofriobuonissima pizza
Le Guide ai Quartieri
Piazza Carmine
Piazza del Carminee' un mercato popolare
Monreale
Monreale is less than ten kilometres from Palermo and is situated in an elevated position with respect to the Conca d'Oro plain. Its Cathedral is famous all over the world and, even if the village is worth at least a day's visit, try to dedicate at least half of it to it. The Cathedral of Santa Maria Nuova has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015 and is considered one of the most important medieval churches in the world. Here a variety of styles and unique structural originality blend together. It is known throughout the world for its mosaics: there are over 130 Byzantine mosaics that adorn the church and depict episodes from the Old Testament, the New Testament and the lives of the saints.
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Monreale
Monreale
Monreale is less than ten kilometres from Palermo and is situated in an elevated position with respect to the Conca d'Oro plain. Its Cathedral is famous all over the world and, even if the village is worth at least a day's visit, try to dedicate at least half of it to it. The Cathedral of Santa Maria Nuova has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015 and is considered one of the most important medieval churches in the world. Here a variety of styles and unique structural originality blend together. It is known throughout the world for its mosaics: there are over 130 Byzantine mosaics that adorn the church and depict episodes from the Old Testament, the New Testament and the lives of the saints.
Mondello e Santa Rosalia
You can reach Mondello starting from Palermo along various roads. One of these goes up Monte Pellegrino, the hill that reigns to the west of the centre of Palermo. Here you can visit, about 450m above sea level, a very special place: the Sanctuary of Santa Rosalia. The legend linked to the patron saint of the city (even if very interesting), but know that this Sanctuary is really unique. It is in fact a building practically "set" in the mountain, whose rocky walls are well present also inside the church.
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Mondello
Mondello e Santa Rosalia
You can reach Mondello starting from Palermo along various roads. One of these goes up Monte Pellegrino, the hill that reigns to the west of the centre of Palermo. Here you can visit, about 450m above sea level, a very special place: the Sanctuary of Santa Rosalia. The legend linked to the patron saint of the city (even if very interesting), but know that this Sanctuary is really unique. It is in fact a building practically "set" in the mountain, whose rocky walls are well present also inside the church.
Visite turistiche
The Zisa
The Zisa is a castle in the western part of Palermo. The construction was begun in the 12th century by Arabian craftsmen for king William of Sicily, and completed by his son William II. The edifice had been conceived as summer residence for the Norman kings, as a part of the large hunting resort known as Genoard (Paradise on Earth) that include also the Cuba Sottana, the Cuba Soprana and the Uscibene palace. The Zisa is clearly inspired by Moorish architecture. The name Zisa itself derives from the Arab term al-Azîz, meaning “noble”, “glorious”, “magnificent”.
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Zisa
The Zisa
The Zisa is a castle in the western part of Palermo. The construction was begun in the 12th century by Arabian craftsmen for king William of Sicily, and completed by his son William II. The edifice had been conceived as summer residence for the Norman kings, as a part of the large hunting resort known as Genoard (Paradise on Earth) that include also the Cuba Sottana, the Cuba Soprana and the Uscibene palace. The Zisa is clearly inspired by Moorish architecture. The name Zisa itself derives from the Arab term al-Azîz, meaning “noble”, “glorious”, “magnificent”.