The island of Sicily (Sicilia, Italy), whose attractions and beaches attract millions of tourists every year, has gathered on its territory many historical and architectural monuments that belong to different eras of human civilization. Its capital is called Palermo. About it in more detail and will be discussed later.
General description of the city
As already noted above, the capital of Sicily (Italy) is Palermo. The city is one of the oldest settlements throughout the country. It is the largest port in Italy, and in terms of population is in fifth place in the state. In particular, as of today, about 655 thousand inhabitants live here. Palermo is located on the Mediterranean coast, in the eastern part of the island, near the foot of Pelegrino Mountain. Its western part is relatively young. Along with this, housing here is much more expensive compared to the central areas. In general, the city can be called chaotic, noisy and colorful. It boasts a unique atmosphere, friendly people, beautiful architecture and delicious food.
The main question that interests all travelers whose goal is Palermo (the capital of Sicily) is how to get to the city best. It is more convenient to do this on an airplane. Unfortunately, direct flights from our country to the island are not provided. Thus, it is necessary to carry out a combined flight through Rome, Venice or Milan.
History of foundation and first conquerors
According to official historical information, the city was founded by the Phoenicians in 734 BC. Initially, it was called Souss, which translates as "flower." Due to its favorable geographical position, commerce and trade were rapidly developing here. A little later a port appeared here, which later became the main parking lot of the Carthaginian fleet. This, in turn, further accelerated its development. Since the arrival of the Romans in 254, the city has become a real granary of the empire. Anyway, these were far from the best times of his existence, and he gradually fell into decay. Beginning in 535, the Byzantines ruled here, but the situation has not changed dramatically.
Arab period
In the ninth century, the city was conquered by the Saracens, who immediately proclaimed that Palermo is the capital of Sicily. The history of its development, starting from this moment, turned in a completely different direction. The city quickly gained its present splendor and transformed into one of the most important shopping centers of the entire Mediterranean Sea. During the reign of the Saracens, more than 300 mosques were erected here. At the same time, the conquerors did not persecute either Christians or Jews, therefore historians call this time a period of tolerance. With Arabs, new irrigation technologies came here. Then the world famous citrus groves appeared here.
Norman era
In 1072, the island of Sicily (including the capital) was captured by the troops of the Norman king Ruggiero D'Altavilla. The new rulers turned out to be very talented and versatile. Moreover, they allowed local Aborigines to maintain their identity. In 1130, the Sicilian Kingdom was founded here, and the city of Palermo remained its capital. The architecture of the Norman period is an additional confirmation of the great adaptability of the rulers of this period to local traditions, because in it Roman, Byzantine, Arab and new Norman trends harmoniously united and preserved.
Spanish period
In 1266, Karl of Anjou conquered the city. However, already fifteen years later, the local population rebelled against the government, which turned into a war. It lasted nine years, during which absolutely all the French were exterminated here. After its end, the era of Spanish rule began. The year 1618 marked the beginning of the Thirty Years War in Europe. This period became unfavorable for the island of Sicily. The capital, like other cities, suffered from high taxes, and extremely poor crops exacerbated the situation. As a result, hatred of the Spaniards among the local population grew, resulting in another rebellion. As a result, the Senate was dissolved, and taxes were reduced. However, very soon the Viceroy regained his rights and introduced tough measures against local residents.
In 1734, representatives of the Bourbons seized power on the island. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, they united Sicily and the Kingdom of Naples, proclaiming the Kingdom of Two Sicilies.
Italy
In May 1860, together with one thousand volunteers, Giuseppe Garibaldi landed on the island. In just three days of fierce fighting, the city surrendered and became part of a united Italy. Over the next decades, riots, uprisings and repressions constantly occurred here, during which the inhabitants of the island gradually got used to coexistence with the kingdom. At the same time, the world famous Sicilian mafia appeared, which initially maintained power over the peasants of the landowners.
If Palermo was not injured during the First World War, then during the Second World War the capital of Sicily was repeatedly bombed by the Allied forces. Without housing then more than 14 thousand local citizens remained. In the fifties of the last century, the city was covered by a wave of immigrants who came in search of work. They did not have housing, so at this time there was a construction boom, which went down in history as the “ruin of Palermo”. This is not surprising, because unique structures and buildings were demolished, on the site of which multi-storey concrete houses and parking lots appeared. Along with this, the most affected center remained in ruins. The population of these years has grown by almost 20%.
General Description of Attractions
Sometimes Palermo is called an open-air museum. This is not surprising, since there are 295 chapels and churches, the fourth part of which were previously monasteries. All Italy is proud of these monuments, and especially the inhabitants of the island of Sicily. Sights (the history of some of them dates back almost three thousand years) were created under the influence of various cultures and eras. It should be noted that the city gained its charm thanks to an interesting layout: here the two main local streets are located perpendicular to one another, and intersect on the Square of Quantro Canti, which appeared in the seventeenth century. In more detail the most significant places of the city are described below.
Cathedral
One of the main attractions that the capital of Sicily boasts is the Cathedral of Palermo. In its architecture, the Arabic and Norman styles, as well as Baroque and Gothic, are simultaneously intertwined. According to studies, this is due to the fact that the structure was rebuilt and reconstructed several times. More specifically, the Byzantine church was originally located on this site, which was transformed by the Arabs into a mosque in the ninth century. After the Normans conquered the city, it was consecrated in honor of the Virgin. In the twelfth century, the local archbishop erected a cathedral here, which over the next seven centuries was rebuilt and expanded more than once. He gained his present look in 1801.
Church of La Martorana
The official name for this Palermo attraction is the church of Santa Maria del Ammirallo. It is located in Piazza Bellini and was erected in the twelfth century by the Normans. The appearance of the temple has also undergone numerous changes throughout its history. To this day, the bell tower and the interior have retained their original appearance. The interior decoration simply amazes the imagination with its unusualness and magnificence. Separate words deserve the Norman-Byzantine mosaics that adorn the walls and the dome. For nine centuries they have not lost the brightness of colors. This fact is called a real miracle even by scientists.
Capuchin Catacombs
The most mysterious and mysterious attraction that the capital of Sicily has is the Catacombs of the Capuchins. They are ancient burials under the monastery of the same name. Due to the unique climate of the local dungeons, the bodies of the deceased, buried from the fourteenth to the nineteenth century, have survived to this day. In total, there are about eight thousand mummies of people, which belonged to different classes (monks, priests, married couples, rich and children). Although the catacombs are located outside the historic city center, you can even get here on foot. This place is considered one of the most popular among tourists in Palermo. Along with this, it is recommended to visit it only to very curious people with strong nerves.
Norman Palace
Separate words deserve the Norman Royal Palace. His building at first glance is very simple. But when you get inside, the initial impression of it changes dramatically. Here, visitors enjoy a luxurious interior. Some of the halls have been preserved in their original form, however, a significant part of the castle was rebuilt in the Spanish era. Today, the local parliament sits here. On the second floor is the Palatine Chapel, the walls of which are decorated with mosaics dedicated to Bible themes. It is laid out by local and Byzantine masters from the twelfth to fifteenth centuries. Nothing of the kind can be found even in the ancient temples of Constantinople .
Other famous churches
The capital of Sicily, Palermo, has several symbols, one of which is the church of San Giovanni del Eremitti, built in 1142. Currently, here you can see several imperial and royal sarcophagi, as well as jewelry found in the tombs of monarchs.
The Church of St. Francis of Assisi presents many works of art. In different eras, they were created by such famous masters as Giacomo Serpotta, the Gagini family, Francesco Laurana, Pietro Novelli and others.
The Admiral's Church was built in 1143, during the reign of King Roger II. She received this name in connection with the fact that it was built with the money of Admiral George of Antioch. Of particular interest here is a unique collection of relics, among which are ancient mosaics with his image.
The Temple of Jesus, whose construction began in 1590, can be called the real pearl of Sicilian baroque. In 1636 it was consecrated, and in 1892 it was awarded the status of a national monument.
Other interesting places
Be that as it may, the capital of Sicily is famous not only for its temples and palaces. There are many other interesting places that attract tourists from all over the world. For example, the Pretoria fountain, opened in 1555, was built by the Florentine mannerist Francesco Camigliani. By itself, it is a composition that consists of a number of pools, differing in size. They are surrounded by marble statues of allegories, fantastic monsters, animals and mythological characters.
People who want to take a break from the majestic monuments and architecture can visit the Botanical Garden, in whose territory a unique collection of plants representing all continents is collected. In total, there are about 12 thousand units.
Like many other regions of Italy, the island of Sicily is distinguished by a great love of local residents for the national opera. It is not surprising that 21 theaters function here. The most famous and majestic among them is the Massimo Theater erected in 1897. This is the largest such opera house in Europe with excellent acoustics, accommodating up to three thousand spectators at the same time.
It is impossible to describe briefly all the sights of the city - you just need to see them at least once in your life.
Sicilian Resorts
Despite the great importance and tourist interest in Palermo, there are other interesting and worth visiting places on the island of Sicily. Resort cities, the sights of which, like the metropolitan ones, cannot leave indifferent even sophisticated travelers, spread out along the coast.
Agrigetto is the largest resort on the Mediterranean coast. The city is famous not only for thermal springs, but also for its beautiful sandy beaches. Three Pelagian islands belong to it, which attract lovers of unique landscapes, boat trips, fishing and diving.
On the east coast of the island lies the city of Catania, washed by the Ionian Sea. Its main attraction is a strip of beaches formed from volcanic sand. Its length reaches nine kilometers.
The main resort of the whole island is Taormina, located in the province of Messina and washed by the waters of the Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas. The area is famous for its beaches, the most popular of which is called Spyaja Sabbiye Nere. It consists entirely of black volcanic sand.
Other popular resorts are Syracuse and Ragusa.