 |
|
Home SICILY |
|
Palermo
Behind the cathedral is the Capo district, with another lively street market; in Piazza Sant'Anna, housed in an old convent, is the Galleria d'Arte Moderna , with a vast collection of 19th- and 20th- century paintings, until recently cramped into a couple of rooms at the Politeama, now seen in their full glory. Artists represented include Francesco Lojacono, Giovanni Boldini, Domenico Morelli, Carlo Cagli and Felice Casorati. From the cathedral, Corso Vittorio Emanuele (usually known as the Cassaro, from qasr, castle) leads down to the Quattro Canti, the monumental crossroads of the two main streets, and thence toPorta Felice, the city gate left open at the top to allow the passage of St Rosalie's huge float, and the picturesque harbour called La Cala, which is where the Phoenicians originally founded the city. Close to the Quattro Canti, in Piazza Pretoria is the yellow Palazzo delle Aquile, the town hall, with an enormous fountain in front of it, called Fontana della Vergogna (Fountain of Shame) by the people, because of the numerous figures of naked mermaids, nymphs and tritons. The work of the Tuscan sculptor Francesco Camilliani, it was situated here in 1555, recuperated from a villa where it had been deemed too big, simply because the city of Messina, eternal rival of Palermo, had built a remarkable fountain, the talk of Sicily, in front of their cathedral. Close by, in Piazza Bellini, is the church of the Martorana, with its majestic campanile, surrounded by a garden. Also known as Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio, it was built in 1146 by George of Antioch, who was Roger II's admiral. Services are still held according to the Greek Orthodox rite. There are some beautiful early 12th-century mosaics in the interior. By the Martorana is San Cataldo, with characteristic red domes; built under William I, it was never finished; for many years it was incongruously used as the post office. East of the Martorana, in a picturesque square full of shops selling luggage, is the 13th-century church of San Francesco d'Assisi, with a magnificent façade. Palermo's famous street market, the Vucciria, is a few steps away, on the other side of the Cassaro, and further south at 4 Via Alloro, in a 15th-century aristocratic palace, is the Galleria Regionale Abatellis housing paintings and sculptures from the Middle Ages: three of them, at least, are worth the journey to Sicily to see. They are the Triumph of Death (in room 2), a large fresco painted c. 1449 showing Death on a spectral horse, killing the rich and famous, while allowing the poor and suffering to live, although they invoke his blows. The dramatic, unforgettable work inspired Picasso for his Guernica. In room 4 is a masterpiece by Francesco Laurana, the bust of Eleonora d'Aragona which he sculpted in 1475, her delicately-chiselled features revealing a strong, but sweet personality. In room 10 is Antonello da Messina's greatest masterpiece, the Virgin Annunciate (1474-77). Compare this with his Annunciation from Palazzolo Acreide in the Bellomo Museum of Syracuse, which was painted perhaps at the same time. This painting, quite different, is essentially the portrait of a young girl from the streets of Palermo. Her exquisitely-rendered hands tell the story. The right hand is slightly raised, as if to refuse the news she has just heard; while her left hand secures her veil in a gesture of modesty. The expression of her face, though serene, is not at all happy. From Quattro Canti, Via Maqueda leads north to modern Palermo, becoming Via Ruggero Settimo and then Via della Libertà, lined with expensive shops and elegant villas. It passes the opera house, Teatro Massimo, designed by Giovanni Battista and his son Enrico Basile, and inaugurated in 1897, and then another late 19th-century theatre, the Politeama, a circular Pompeian-style building surmounted by a chariot, now used for concerts, but originally intended for the circus. Almost opposite the opera house, at 24 Via Bara all'Olivella, is the Museo Archeologico Regionale 'Salinas'. Situated in an old monastery, the museum has vast collections of antiquities from all over Sicily; particularly worthy of note is the gallery dedicated to the Metopes of Selinunte, vivid sculptures found in the 19th century among the temples of the ancient city, and the series of lovely black Etruscan vases from Chiusi, a private collection. West of the centre, in Piazza Zisa, the royal mansion called La Zisa, from aziz, splendid, has been restored together with its gardens, and now houses the Museo d'Arte Islamica (open 9-6.30). It is the most important example of Arab-Norman secular architecture to survive in Sicily, and is worth a visit; explanatory panels explain the architectural techniques used to create the building and its fountains. Monreale, with its splendid Norman-Arab cathedral, is nearby. To top of page |
The beautiful capital of Sicily stands on a wide bay, dominated by the
Monte Pellegrino headland. Although much spoiled in the 1970s, Palermo still
shows ample traces of its past, when it was one of the greatest cities in
the Mediterranean, and vied with Cordoba, Cairo and Constantinople as a
centre of culture and learning, or when the Arabs called it 'the city of
1,000 minarets', famed for its gardens and fountains. The breathtaking cattedrale,
with its golden stone and eclectic contrasts, is a perfect example of the
way the city blends diverse styles, materials and traditions to its own
taste. Founded by the Normans in 1185 on the site of an Arab mosque, and
much manipulated through the centuries, the interior is comparatively simple.
The first two chapels of the south aisle house the royal tombs of kings
and queens of Sicily, including those of Roger II, Frederick II of Hohenstaufen,
his mother Constance de Hauteville and his father Henry VI, son of the Barbarossa.
West of the cathedral is the interesting Diocese Museum with a rich collection
of paintings, sculptures and other works of art, both from the cathedral
and from the churches of Palermo. The royal palace, Palazzo dei Normanni,
stands in the highest part of the old city. It was built by the Arabs, enlarged
by the Normans, and restored by the Spanish, who added the principal façade;
it is the seat of the Sicilian parliament. In the interior is the Cappella
Palatina), the royal chapel, a jewel of Arab-Norman art, built by Roger
II in 1132. It is famous for the exquisite mosaics which cover the walls
in the interior, and the carved and painted ceiling, with stalactite effects,
the work of Arab craftsmen using cedar from Lebanon. The chapel, which much
impressed Guy de Maupassant, is dominated by the magnetic image of Christ
Pantocrator in the main apse. Compare this figure with the similar ones
at Monreale and Cefalù; their expressions are surprisingly different.
Here at the Palatine Chapel we see a stern father figure, while at Monreale
the impression is that of a rather strict older brother, and at Cefalù
the face of Christ is that of a wise, understanding friend. South of the
royal palace is the charming church and garden of San Giovanni degli Eremiti,
also built by Roger II in 1132, on the site of a mosque. The little church
with its red domes is the symbol of Palermo, and the garden is a peaceful
retreat on a hot day.