Monuments and natural beauties

• Ex Officine Ducrot: these old workshops contain around forty sheds that are a very interesting example of industrial archaeology. Twelve shed have been recovered and they are used for dance, theatre and music performances, for exhibitions, seminars and concerts. These sheds are now an important culture centre for the town, known all over Europe.  
• Complesso S. Anna la Misericordia: this is the former Franciscan monastery annexed to the church dedicated to Saint Anne. It is in the heart of Palermo, where the ancient market of Lattarini is (during Muslim domination the market was called Sûq-el-attârin, “grocer’s market”). The church is one of the most beautiful Baroque churches of the town. There are also two palaces, Bonet and Gangi. The style is the typical XV century style, made of Gothic – Catalan elements. The monastery has windows with two lights, a beautiful cloister with grey marble columns and pointed arches. The entrance portal shows Manieristic influences and dates back to the first years of 1600. The façade is really beautiful and original (1736). The cloister of the monastery is surrounded by a portico and was built in XVII century. Two colours are used: the grey of the stone of Billiemi and the golden yellow of the calcareous stone used for the arches.
• Palazzo Chiaramonte: this palace is like a fortress. Inside there is a beautiful wood roof with paintings showing episodes taken from the Bible and from chivalry. At the bottom of the courtyard there is a church, Chiesa di S. Antonio Abate (XIV century).
• Museo etnografico: this museum is dedicated to the anthropologist from Palermo, Giuseppe Pitrè; he was a very famous scholar, known all over Europe. The museum contains more than four thousand items of folk tradition and of daily rural life from the end of 1700 to the beginning of 1900. These objects come from all over Sicily: costumes, tools, objects used for feasts or agricultural activities, religious items, paintings, votive objects, toys, carts, terracotta cribs by Giovanni Matera (1658-1718) from Trapani, reproductions made of chalk of bread and cakes traditionally prepared during the feasts. There is also a very rich library, containing more than 24.000 books, manuscripts by Pitrè, around 3.600 photos and slides and a rich archive. The museum is surrounded by a park where King Ferdinand IV went hunting.
• Palazzo Ziino: this palace became the so-called “house of culture” in 1999 and it is used for several cultural events. On the first floor there is a collection of plaster casts containing 64 sculptures coming from the gallery Civica Galleria d’Arte Moderna. They were produced by famous local artists between 1800 and 1900, for example Mario Rutelli, Domenico Costantino, Benedetto Civiletti, Ettore Ximenes, and Antonio Ugo.
• Complesso di S. Maria dello Spasimo: this building was restored in 1995 and it was considered a romantic ruin thanks to the trees grown inside. Researchers are still trying to find new relics and findings of the past. It is in the so-called district of Kalsa (Al Khalisa, that is ‘the Chosen’), founded by Arabians in 937. Its story starts in 1506 when the jurisconsult Giacomo Basilicò donated the land to the fathers of Monte Oliveto to let them build a church and a monastery. The name “dello Spasimo” (of sorrows) was chosen by him to honour Our Lady who suffers for her crucified son. Raffaello was asked to paint a work dedicated to Our Lady. This painting stayed only for a short while in Sicily; than it was donated to Philip V of Spain (today it is in Prado museum in Madrid). The style is late-Gothic with Renaissance influences. The central nave is really wide and has several side chapels made of Arabian – Norman elements. In the XIX century portico there are the remains of a beautiful cloister of XVI century. From there visitors can reach a salon that is the seat of many exhibitions.
• Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele: the theatre was inaugurated on 16^th May 1897 on a project by Ernesto Basile. It is the second biggest theatre of Europe (the first is the Opera in Paris).
• Duomo: the cathedral is really beautiful thanks to its towers, the windows with two lights, the arches. It was built in 1184 by Gualtiero, an English man sent by King Henry II as the tutor of William II of Sicily. He was the archbishop of Palermo for 25 years. Outside the style is Gothic. The southern portico is a real masterpiece, built in 1453: it is in Catalan style. In the apse there is a beautiful polychrome decoration. The dome was added in XVIII century. The cathedral contains many important works of art: sculptures by Gagini, a wood choir stalls (1466), the tombs of Frederick II and his wife, Constance of Aragon, of his mother, daughter of Ruggero II (buried here) and of his father Henry VI. On a column there are some inscriptions taken from the Koran. The cathedral contains also a silver urn with the relics of Santa Rosalia, the patron of the town. The bell tower is made in an unusual style and it is linked to the church through two arches.
• Chiesa e chiostro di S. Giovanni degli Eremiti: this church was built by Ruggero II between 1130 and 1148. The Norman king thought that art was an important instrument of his power. The domes are original: they are the typical Arabian red domes. The round domes represent the sky; they are supported by square towers (representing the Earth) and are the symbol of Palermo. The church has a small cloister in the garden that surrounds it. This garden is full with the smells of jasmine, of orange trees and of pomegranate. It is one of the most important Norman – Arabian monuments of Palermo.
• Capo: this is a typical market in Arabian style and it is in the homonymous square. It was created in the upper part of the ancient Hârat – as – Saqâlibah, a district called also ‘quartiere degli Schiavoni’. During Norman period it was called “Seralcadio”. Together with another market, Ballarò, it represents the life in Palermo, the smells, the flavours, the colours, the sounds of this wonderful town.
• Chiesa della Magione: the church was founded in 1150 by Matteo d’Aiello, the chancellor of Ruggero II, and it is one of the most important monuments of the Norman Sicily. There are three naves supported by columns with ogival arches.
• Galleria regionale siciliana: this art gallery is inside Palazzo Abatellis, built in 1495 on a project by Matteo Carnelivari in late Gothic-Catalan style with Renaissance elements. Among the most ancient works of art, there are the architectonical wood elements of XII century. Among the XV century works of art there is a marble bust portraying Eleanor of Aragon, by Francesco Laurana. There is also a painting by Antonello da Messina portraying the Annunciation (1473).
• Palazzo reale: the royal palace is also called Normans’ palace. It was built in IX century on Punic and Roman remains and it is the symbol of authority in Palermo. Emirs, kings and viceroys lived here. Today it is the seat of the ‘Assemblea Regionale Siciliana’. The palace contains really beautiful rooms and a wonderful chapel, Cappella Palatina, made of different styles, Byzantine, Arabian, and Norman. The palace is full of mosaics, marble decorations with gold, glass and precious stones details. The palace has also an interesting tower, Torre Pisana or S. Ninfa.
• Mondello: this is the creek of fishermen, today it is very loved by tourists thanks to its wonderful natural caves along the coast at the feet of Pellegrino Mount.
• Museo archeologico Salinas: the archaeological museum is in the XVIII century Monastery of Oratorian Fathers, annexed to a church, Chiesa di S. Ignazio all’Olivella. It contains architectonical fragments, sculptures and products coming from Phoenician, Greek and Roman sites of Sicily. There are two interesting statues portraying Zeus, of II century b.C. In the main cloister there are statues of Hellenistic – Roman origin found in Tindari and Selinunte.
• Castello della Zisa: according to a legend, in this castle there is a treasure made of gold coins, protected by the devils portrayed on one of the arches of the portico. The castle was built in XII century and it was ordered by William I. It was completed under William II. The name comes from the Arabian word Al – Aziz, that is wonderful. In fact it is considered one of the most beautiful Arabian – Norman buildings of the world, thanks to its sophisticated structure. The castle contains a museum dedicated to Islam. There are some of the most beautiful works of art of the Arabian presence in Mediterranean area, the elegant ‘masrabiyya’, the wood screen, daily tools, furniture, mainly made of brass with gold and silver thin decorations.
• Chiesa di S. Teresa: this church is in the Kalsa, the former Arabian district. The façade is Baroque and it is by G. Amato. The inner stucco decorations were by Giacomo Serpotta.
• Arsenale: the arsenal is a rectangular building on two floors built between 1621 and 1630 on a project by architect Smiriglio, one of the most important representatives of Italian Manierism. The galleys used to fight (and defeat) pirates in the Mediterranean sea were built here.
• Vucciria: this word comes from the French word “bouccherie”, it means “butcher’s shop”. At the beginning it was a big market used as a slaughter-house and to sell meat. Later it became a complete market selling fruit, vegetables, fish and other foods. The smell of fish is the main feature of this market together with the shouts of the sellers. This market represent the life of the town, it is a feast of colours, sounds, smells and flavours (as a famous painting by Renato Guttuso suggests).
• Chiesa della Martorana: this church was ordered around 1140 by Giorgio di Antiochia, admiral of Ruggero II. He was of Greek-Orthodox religion. This church is also called ‘of the admiral’. The bell tower is really beautiful made of polychrome inlaid works. Inside the mosaics are very rich, in Byzantine style. The near monastery was founded by Eloisa Martorana in 1193. Here the parliament of Sicily met (1295) and decided to give the throne to Frederick of Argon.  
• Convento dei Cappuccini: in the undergrounds of the monastery there is one of the most macabre collections of the world. It contains hundreds corps of noblemen and rich citizens from Palermo, who died between 1600 and 1881. They wear elegant dresses and they are a warning against human vanity.
• Chiesa del Gesù: this Baroque church is called ‘Chiesa della Casa Professa’, inside there are beautiful marble decorations. It is the most ancient Jesuit church of Sicily.
• Chiesa dello Spirito Santo: this church is in S. Orsola graveyard. Norman element mix with a sober architecture made of small ogival arches.
• Chiesa di S. Cataldo: this Norman church was built in 1160, the façade is tripartite and it is surmounted by three red domes supported by drums. Inside the floor is made of mosaics and it is very interesting. There are three naves supported by ancient columns.
• Palazzo Arcivescovile: in the palace of the archbishop there is a museum, Museo Diocesano, containing interesting works of art, coming from churches suppressed or destroyed during the Second World War.
• I Quattro Canti: or ‘Teatro del Sole’. It is an octagonal square that represents the physic and symbolic centre of the town. The façade of each corner is in Baroque style and is decorated with three statues (as homage to a season, a king and to the patron of each of the four districts of Palermo).
• Chiesa di S. Caterina: this church was built in 1556. Inside there are a lot of decorations of XVII and XVIII century. It is a beautiful example of Baroque style of Palermo, thanks to the many sculptures, the colours and the marble decorations. The frescoes on the roof are by Filippo Randazzo in the nave and by Vito D’Anna in the dome.
• Fontana Pretoria: this is a Manieristic fountain built in 1544. It is called the fountain of shame because the statues are naked. It is made of 600 parts.
• Palazzo Sclafani: this palace was built in 1330 by feudatory Matteo Sclafani, count of Adornò, to compete with his brother in law who had ordered another palace, Palazzo Chiaramonte.
• Porta Nuova: this entrance was built by viceroy Marcantonio Colonna in 1583, following the model of the false triumph arches built to celebrate Emperor Charles V when he arrived to Palermo. The door was rebuilt in 1669 and it is covered by coloured majolica. It is linked to Palazzo dei Normanni.
• Chiesa di S. Domenico: this church was built by Baroque master Tommaso Maria Napoli. Inside the most important work of art is a basso-rilievo portraying Saint Katherine (1528) by Antonello Gagini.
• Oratorio del Rosario di S. Domenico: this oratory is decorated with Baroque elements by Giacomo Serpotta (1715). The altar-piece portrays Our Lady of the Rosary with Saint Dominick by Antonio Van Dyck, while the walls are covered by frescoes by Luca Giordano and Pietro Novelli.
• Villa Giulia: Goethe considered that these gardens with their statues and fountains were among the most beautiful in Europe.
• Oratorio di S. Lorenzo: this church is a real jewel, with beautiful stucco decorations portraying the lives of Saints Lawrence and Francis, allegorical scenes and puttos by Giacomo Serpotta. The most beautiful element is surely the triumph arch (1468) by Francesco Laurana and Pietro da Bonitate. In 1969 a painting portraying the Nativity, by Caravaggio (1609), was stolen.
• Oratorio di S. Zita: on one of the walls there is a painting portraying the battle of Lepanto. Then there are scenes taken from the New Testament, painted with an extravagant style by Giacomo Serpotta.
• Museo Internazionale delle Marionette: this international museum is dedicated to puppets with items coming from all over the world.
• Palazzo Aiutamicristo: this palace is one of the best Gothic palaces of Palermo. It was built in 1490 by Carnelivari. The courtyard with portico and loggia is beautiful.
• Palazzo Orleans: in this palace Louis Philippe d’Orleans lived in exile from 1810 to 1814. He will later become the King of France.
• Teatro Politeama: this theatre contains a picture gallery, Galleria d’Arte Moderna Empedocle Restivo.

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Written by Stefania Maffeo
Translation by Linda Liguori