Travels in Italy--Palermo (Part 4 of 4)

Our peregrination of Palermo continues and concludes.

The Palatine Chapel:  On a high hill in Palermo, there is an ancient fortress that served as a palace and the seat of government over many centuries.  Today, the parliament of Sicily meets there. 

The inner courtyard of the royal palace

In the palace is a chapel from the 1100's decorated with beautiful mosaics, the Capella Palatina, or Palatine Chapel.  Like the Martorana chapel, the Capella Palatina is a harmonious fusion of three cultures--Norman, Byzantine and Islamic.  As you will notice, there are amazing gold mosaics here, just as there are in other beautiful churches and palazzos in Palermo.

If you look closely at the following photos, you will see the influence of the three cultures--Norman, Byzantine and Islamic.  Although Roger, who was Norman, conquered Palermo and much of Sicily, he was careful to honor the cultures and peoples already living there.  So, Norman language (Latin) and imagery appears alongside Byzantine language (Greek) and imagery and also next to Islamic language (Arabic) and imagery. 

Monreale:  On a high plateau overlooking Palermo is a large cathedral from the 1100's, the Cattedrale di Monreale, or Cathedral of Monreale.  The church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The interior walls of the church are covered with beautiful mosaics, including many that depict scenes from the bible.  Built when literacy was scarce, the church serves as a pictorial bible for parishioners.  

The throne of William II, King of Sicily

The tomb of William II. 

While visiting Monreale, we saw beautiful flora.

Cathedral of Palermo:  In the center of Palermo, we visited the Cathedral of Palermo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Construction of the church began in the 12th century and lasted until 18th century.  It was built on the site of a Byzantine church that was converted to a mosque during the reign of the Moors.  The cathedral has many architectural elements--Norman, Moorish, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical.

The bell tower of the Palermo Cathedral

The main altar of the cathedral

On the floor of the cathedral, a meridian line marks the progress of the noontime sun during the course of the year, like the meridian lines in Bologna and Florence. The line is marked with the twelve signs of the zodiac. 

The meridian line in the Cathedral of Palermo

Pisces and Cancer on the meridian line

The side chapel pictured below is dedicated to and contains the relics of Santa Rosalia.  Rosalia lived in the 1100's and was from a noble Norman family that claimed to be descended from Charlemagne.  She was deeply religious and lived out her adult life as a hermit in a cave on Mount Pellegrino near Palermo.  In 1624, a plague spread in Palermo.  Five centuries after her death, Rosalia "appeared" to a hunter and told him where to find her bones.  She said her bones should be paraded through the city.  After the parade of Rosalia's bones, the plague ended.  As result, Santa Rosalia is venerated as the patron saint of Palermo.

A side chapel dedicated to the patron saint of Palermo, Santa Rosalia.  Yes, the altar is real silver!

Santa Rosalia 

Thanks for visiting Palermo with us. 

Travels in Italy--Palermo (Part 3 of 4)

Our perambulation of Palermo continues.

Market:  Palermo's main street market is a crowded jumble of people, sights, sounds and smells.  Whether you need fruit, vegetables, fish or meat, you will find it at the market.  Since much of the produce is local, it is especially fresh and low cost. 

While visiting the market, we ran into the chef of the restaurant Cin Cin where we ate the night before.  The chef (the tall dude in the photo below) shops in the market for the freshest ingredients for his menu. 

Pop Quiz:  In the photo below, what is the woman doing?  A. Smelling fresh oregano.  B. Checking whether she has bad breath.   

Oratorio Santa Caterina d'Alessandria:   We visited a small church in the old city that is dedicated to the martyr Saint Catherine of Alexandra and known for its excellent plaster statues.  The recently restored church is beautifully decorated in the Baroque style. 

Teatro Massimo:  Palermo is home to a large, beautiful opera house, the Teatro Massimo, opened in 1897.  The theater is truly massimo, being the largest in Italy and third largest in Europe.  Sicilians, like all Italians, love opera.  The theater also hosts ballets and concerts. 

Teatro Massimo

Teatro Massimo:  a panorama of the boxes

Teatro Massimo:  the royal box

Teatro Massimo:  the ceiling.  The painted panels can be raised and opened  during performances to improve air flow in the theater--a necessary function since Sicily can be quite hot, even at night. 

Teatro Massimo:  the Sala Pompeiana, a circular room originally reserved for members of noble families to use during intermissions

Teatro Massimo:  a wooden model of the theater

Teatro Massimo:  ballet rehearsal

The theater has a museum dedicated to operas staged there.

The Teatro Massimo is a favorite sight of film buffs.  The climactic scenes of The Godfather Part III were filmed there, including a tragic scene on the steps of the theater.

Not the Godfather

Street Scenes:  While touring Palermo, we saw some typical and not-so-typical sights. 

A street musician

In the photo below, an enterprising person is giving away puppies (cuccioli) on the street in exchange for a small reimbursement. 

Next Up: More amazing sights in Palermo.