Description of the attraction
Foro Italico is one of Palermo's promenades, stretching from Cala Bay to Via Giulia in the Kalsa quarter. From 1734 to 1860, it was called Foro Borbonico after the Bourbon dynasty that ruled in Sicily, and after the unification of Italy in 1860 it received its current name. Until the Second World War, the sea reached up to modern streets. Directly during the years of the conflict, during air raids on the city from both the Germans and the Americans, some parts of the port and the historic center of Palermo were destroyed. After the war, most of the wreckage was brought here, so the sea retreated, and the embankment, accordingly, expanded. For many years this area remained abandoned and unkempt. Then, traveling circuses stopped here, and for some time there was Luna Park on this place. And only in the late 1990s - early 2000s, a complete restoration of the zone was carried out, which turned into one of the most popular embankments in the city.
The decision to convert the abandoned area into a walking area was made ahead of the UN conference on the fight against organized crime, which was held in Palermo in December 2000. Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan attended the inauguration of the embankment, designed by architect Carmelo Bustinto.
Today, the pedestrian Foro Italico with its vast "green areas" occupies about 40 thousand square meters: alleys, benches, ceramic sculptures, bicycle paths, night illumination and a beautiful panorama - all this every day attracts hundreds of people who want to relax and admire the sea.
