- Religious buildings
- Attractions Palermo
- Teatro Massimo
- Delicious points on the map
The history of the administrative center of the island of Sicily and the Italian province of the same name began long before the onset of a new era. In 754 BC. NS. Palermo was founded by the Phoenicians, who named the city of Sousse, which translated from their language means "flower". During the Punic Wars in the harbor of Panorma, as the Greeks called the city, there was a Carthaginian fleet. Those who reached the island in the III century. BC NS. The Romans provided the city with the possibility of self-government, but by the beginning of the 6th century Palermo fell into decay and easily fell into the hands of the Goths who were claiming dominance in the Mediterranean. Later, the Byzantines and Saracens ruled in Sicily, Palermo was seized by the Normans, the South German kings and the army of Charles of Anjou, until at the end of the XIII century. the Sicilians did not start a national liberation uprising.
In a word, the answer to the question of where to go in Palermo will not have to look too long. The city has preserved a huge number of architectural monuments, known among connoisseurs of the history of the whole world.
Religious buildings
In Palermo, you can see almost three hundred churches, cathedrals, chapels and monasteries. Among the huge list of special attention are the cathedral, and small temples built in various historical eras and representing magnificent examples of many architectural styles:
- The Cathedral of Saint Rosalia is the main church for the Catholic residents of Palermo. The cathedral was founded in 1179 by the Archbishop of Palermo Walter Mill. The construction of the temple began on the site of an old church built in the 4th century. in honor of the Christian martyr Mamilian. Later, the Byzantines rebuilt it, the Arabs turned it into a mosque, in a word, like everywhere in Europe, torn apart by wars in the Middle Ages, the temple has seen a lot in its long history. As a result of renovations and rebuildings, St. Rosalind's Cathedral looks very eclectic. In its appearance, the characteristic features of many architectural styles are clearly discernible - both Gothic, and Arab-Norman, and neoclassical. Especially picturesque is the southern facade, overlooking the Piazza Duomo and embodying all the building directions and techniques, the fashion for which came during the existence of the temple. In the interior, noteworthy are the frescoes of the main apse of the 18th century. and a valuable lapis lazuli altar in the Chapel of the Holy Mysteries. The main shrine of the cathedral, the relics of St. Rosalia, rest in the chapel of the same name, and in the northern nave you can see the sculpture of the Virgin of 1469 belonging to Lauran's cutter and delivering pilgrims from sins.
- The church of San Cataldo looks very much like a mosque in appearance, and its architectural style is classified as Arab-Norman. The temple was founded in 1160 and consecrated in honor of St. Catald. At the beginning, the church was a house and was located at the Mayo Palace, where the first ruler of the Sicilian state lived. Later, the temple was in the possession of the archbishops, and the palace served as their residence. Externally, San Cataldo is a rectangular building topped with three red hemispherical domes. Inside you can see the altar and inlaid floor, preserved from the 12th century.
- The Arab-Norman style is easily discerned in the appearance of the monastery of San Giovanni degli Eremiti, founded in 1136 at the behest of the first Sicilian king Roger II. The monastery church is also crowned with hemispherical red domes, the interior is austere, and there are no frescoes or mosaics. Only three painted figures on the walls of the refectory, dating from the 12th century, have survived. It is worth going on an excursion to the Monastery of San Giovanni degli Eremiti in Palermo for the sake of the picturesque cloister. The covered gallery, framing the monastery courtyard and consisting of several dozen columns of the Corinthian order, has been preserved since the 12th century.
- The church of La Magione, which has the honorary status of a minor basilica, is dated to the late Norman period. The temple was founded in the second half of the 12th century. and belonged first to the Cistercians, and then to the knights of the Teutonic Order. The slenderness and asceticism of the temple is emphasized by three rows of arches on the facade, the side aisles are separated from the central by marble columns, the perimeter of the courtyard is outlined by a gallery with rows of double columns forming pointed arches.
In the list of places of worship in Palermo, the Palatine Chapel deserves special attention - the chapel of the Norman Palace, the former personal chapel of the kings and viceroys of Sicily. The Palatine Chapel is called one of the most significant monuments of the Arab-Norman architectural style. The chapel has preserved mosaics created by Byzantine and Sicilian craftsmen. The earliest of the mosaics are dated to the 12th century. Another attraction of the Palatine Chapel is the carved Arabic ceiling made by the masters of the Fatimid era. The ceiling has been preserved in its original form since the 12th century. and it depicts not only floral ornaments, but also plots of secular content with figures of people participating in everyday genre scenes.
Attractions Palermo
Palazzo Normanni is one of the most significant architectural landmarks of the island's capital. The Norman palace has served as the seat of the kings and viceroys of Sicily for many centuries. The first building on this site dates back to ancient times. On the site of ancient ruins in the 9th century. the Arabs built the palace of the emir, pretty much altered in the 11th century by the Normans. Later it was reconstructed by the Spaniards, and then by the Sicilians themselves. As a result, the Norman Palace is today called an example of the spiritual and architectural synthesis of many cultures and peoples who inhabited the island at different times.
The Pretorio Fountain in the square of the same name is located in front of the Palazzo Pretorio building, built in the middle of the 15th century. Today, the city hall is sitting in the palace. A grandiose fountain appeared on the square in the 70s. XVI century. The fountain was designed by Francesco Camigliani, a renowned Mannerist sculptor from Florence. He performed sculptures for the Tuscan residence of the Spanish Viceroy of Naples and Sicily, Pedro Toledo, but the owner's son sold the Palermo fountain after the death of his parent. It was transported to the island disassembled into more than 600 pieces. The irony of fate was that the installation work on Piazza Pretorio was supervised by the son of the sculptor Camigliani.
The burial catacombs in Palermo are one of the most famous tombs in the world, which is a gigantic exhibition of mummies. Thousands of bodies of the deceased - embalmed, mummified or skeletonized - are displayed in numerous corridors and cubicles. The history of the huge cemetery began in the 17th century, when it became clear that the peculiarities of the soil in the Capuchin Catacombs prevent the decay of the flesh. The dead, belonging to noble families, began to be buried here, because the bodies could be preserved for many years. The deceased treated in a special way were displayed in niches, hung on the walls and placed on shelves, and the relatives of the deceased could visit them and see them at the same time. Especially creepy, but popular exhibits of the Capuchin Catacombs - a boy in a baby rocking chair, holding a baby sister in his arms, and the body of Rosalia Lombardo, completely untouched by decay, a one-year-old girl who died in 1920 and was the last to be buried in the Capuchin Catacombs.
Teatro Massimo
Teatro Massimo in Palermo is a must-see for all opera fans. Its name means "the greatest", and it is difficult to argue with that, because Massimo is the largest of its kind in the whole country.
The theater building was designed in the second half of the 19th century. famous Italian architect D. Basile. Massimo was completed in 1890 and opened seven years later. The first performance, staged by Massimo, was a great success. It was Verdi's Falstaff, and since then even the crowned persons regularly come to appreciate the excellent acoustics of the hall.
The interior of the building contains many magnificent decorative elements - from stucco and bronze statues to stained glass windows and marble staircases. But the most important feature that invariably attracts the attention of spectators and visitors is the floating ceiling, the wooden panels of which move, providing ventilation of the auditorium.
Delicious points on the map
Italian cuisine is a very diverse concept, and in Sicily it is completely self-sufficient and unique. If you are looking for the addresses of good restaurants in Palermo, where to go with friends or children, choose classic taverns, where the atmosphere is authentic, the menu contains the best dishes, and the degree of hospitality can only be compared with grandma's:
- Frida Pizzeria in the city center is named after a famous Mexican artist. The pizza in this place is the best, according to both locals and tourists. Valuable advice: order one for two, because only a very hungry and large person can master the creation of Palermo pizza makers alone.
- Low prices and excellent home service are strong arguments in favor of a visit to the trattoria Al Vecchio Ristoro del Corso near Central Station. Order pasta with seafood and do not pay attention to the lack of fashionable wall design, because even restaurant critics for some reason come back here again and again. Was it not to arrange a feast for the soul?
- Good-quality food and a very reasonable price await visitors at the Il Covo del Pirata restaurant on the Cefalu waterfront. If booked in advance, you can take a seat on the balcony overlooking the sea and enjoy the sound of waves and salt spray, perfectly complementing lobster pasta and icy white wine.
If you don't have too much time to spend it on full-fledged restaurant meals, take a look at Pani Ca 'Meusa Porta Carbone. It will introduce you to Palermitan street food - hearty, tasty, good quality and inexpensive. The list of popular Sicilian street food dishes invariably includes a sandwich with fried veal spleen, flavored with cheese and lemon juice. This food is called pani ka meuzah. Such a sandwich costs about two euros, looks brutal and impressive and guarantees satiety for at least half a day.
