Further explorations take me through the bustling streets of Palermo.Â
In my last post on Palermo, I explored the Palazzo dei Normanni (the Palace of Normans) and the Duomo of Palermo. In this post, I will explore more of the wonderful city that is Palermo.
A stroll down Via Roma early in the morning will bring you beautiful late 19th century buildings.
But watch out for those crazy scooters! Traffic laws don’t apply to them apparently.
I love all the flowers on the second-floor balconies on this one. Plus, all the little details on the building.
The Palazzo delle Poste (Palace of the Posts), interesting name for a post office.
One of the things I absolutely love about Palermo is all these super colorful church domes.
Looking down Via Roma. Not as much traffic here now that it is a ZTL area, a limited traffic zone.
We have an extremely remodeled building going on here. I wonder how old the facade really is. It looks medieval at least.
A very white building on the Piazza San Domenico. The architect used some Ancient Greek designs in his embellishments. The little fan like things that stick out from the top balustrade could be found on the top of temples. Although, they wouldn’t be white!
Now the church that gives Piazza San Domenico its name, San Domenico, with its beautiful Sicilian Baroque facade.
San Domenico is the second most important church of Palermo, after the Duomo.
I just loved the Chapel of St. Joseph. That detail took some serious skill to carve.
Palermo has quite a few theaters. I, unfortunately, didn’t get a chance to tour any. Teatro Biondo was built at the turn of the 20th century. I love those glass awnings on the sides.
Last stop on Via Roma (it’s a fantastic street), is the really cool looking 13th century Sant’Antonio Abate. I didn’t end up getting inside at all, but it looks cool up there on its platform high above the street.
From Via Roma, it is a straight shot down Via Vittorio Emanuele to the Duomo and the Palace of the Normans. I took a slight deviation from that route to see this lovely wonder, the Fontana Pretoria. It was constructed in 1554 for the garden of don Luigi de Toledo in Florence. Toledo ran out of money and had to sell the fountain to Palermo in 1574, minus a few statues.
Old and awesome.
Colorful dome of San Giuseppe dei Padri Teatini.
One of the four Quattro Canti. Each side of this corner has a fountain, topped with statues. All very fancy. If you continue further down Via Vittorio Emanuele, you will run into the Duomo.
Leaving the main drag, behind the Fontana Pretoria, is Santa Caterina d’Alessandria.
Opposite Santa Caterina are two famous Palermo churches, San Cataldo on the right, and Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio on the left. I didn’t get to go inside San Cataldo due to restoration work. It was built during the Norman period and shows a lot of Arab influence in its construction.
Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio (or simply the Mortorana) was founded by a Greek admiral, George of Antioch in around 1143.
The mosaics date to around the same time, the 12th century, as those in the Capella Palatina at the Palace of the Normans.
The church went through many alterations since its founding, many of which have since been removed. I do love this altar though and I’m glad they kept it.
I’m also glad that they kept this little altar on the newer part of the church.
I’m not sure exactly where I ran into this building, but I do love the detail around this door. Who wouldn’t want little statues and heads around theirs?
Very close to the Palace of the Normans is San Giovanni degli Eremiti, a 6th century church later turned into a mosque.
Another great place to stop is the Archaeological Museum, where you can find a ton of Ancient Greek and Roman artifacts like these temple friezes from Selinunte (future post).
Who doesn’t love a gorgon getting her head getting cut off.
Palermo is a crazy metropolitan city, full of museums and attractions. I really wish, as always, that I had more time in Palermo. I love cities and Palermo is definitely one I can find myself coming back to.
Check out my next update where I visit the wonderful Cathedral of Monreale!
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