Palermo
Flag Seal
Location of the city of Palermo (red dot) within Italy.
Coordinates: 38°07′N 13°22′E / 38.117, 13.367
Region	Sicily
Province	Province of Palermo
Founded	734 BC
Government
- Mayor	Diego Cammarata
Area
- City	158 km² (61 sq mi)
Population (January 2006)
- City	675,018 (5th)
- Density	4,275/km² (11,072. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. In Italy, a Province (in Italian provincia) is an administrative division of intermediate level between Municipality ( Comune The Province of Palermo ( Provincia di Palermo; Sicilian: Pruvincia di Palermu) is a province in the Autonomous region Events and trends 739 BC — Hiram II becomes king of Tyre. 738 BC — King Tiglath-Pileser III of A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. ISTAT data updated 2007 January 1. Figures are based on last 2001 Census plus data from official bilancio demografico ( demographic balance Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 2/sq mi)
- Metro	1,241,241
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal codes	90100
Area code(s)	091
Patron saints	Saint Rosalia
Website: http://www.comune.palermo.it

Palermo Italian: Palermo, Sicilian: Palermu, Greek: Panormus is a historic city in southern Italy, the capital of the autonomous region Sicily and the province of Palermo. A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central Central European Time ( CET) is one of the names of the Time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+1 is used in the following locations Central European Time West Africa Time Western European Summer Time Daylight saving time ( DST Central European Summer Time ( CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 Time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+2 corresponds to the following Time zones Eastern European Time Egypt Standard Time Central Africa Time A telephone numbering plan is a plan for allocating Telephone number ranges to countries regions areas and exchanges and to non-fixed telephone networks Saint Rosalia (also called La Santuzza or "The Little Saint") Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. Sicilian (scn '''''lu sicilianu''''' lingua siciliana, also known as Siculu or Calabro-Sicilian) is a Romance language. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status Geography Southern Italy forms the lower "boot" of the Italian peninsula containing the ankle (Abruzzo and Molise and southern Lazio the toe (Calabria and the heel Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. The Province of Palermo ( Provincia di Palermo; Sicilian: Pruvincia di Palermu) is a province in the Autonomous region The city is noted for its rich history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old. Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic The term architecture (from Greek αρχιτεκτονικήarchitektoniki) can be used to mean a process a profession or documentation Gastronomy is the study of the relationship between Culture and Food. Palermo is located in the north-west of the island of Sicily, right by the Gulf of Palermo in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Tyrrhenian Sea (Mar Tirreno is part of the Mediterranean Sea off of the western coast of Italy.

The city was founded by the Phoenicians, but named by the Ancient Greeks as Panormus meaning all port. Phoenicia ( Phoenician: Phoenician nunsvg|12px|נ]]Phoenician nun The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions Palermo became part of the Roman Republic and eventually part of the Byzantine Empire, for over a thousand years. The Roman Republic was the phase of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by a Republican form of government a period which began with the overthrow of the For a brief period it was under Arab rule where it first became a capital. A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) is the political leadership of the Muslim community in classical and medieval Islamic history Following the Norman reconquest, Palermo would become capital of a new kingdom from 1130 to 1816 the Kingdom of Sicily. The Norman conquest of Southern Italy spanned most of the eleventh century involving many battles and many independent players conquering territories of their own The Kingdom of Sicily (Regnum Siciliae or Sicilie Regno di Sicilia, commonly abbreviated Regno) was a state that existed in the south of Italy Eventually it would be united with the Kingdom of Naples to form the Two Sicilies until the Italian unification of 1860. The Kingdom of Naples was an informal name of the Polity officially known as the Kingdom of Sicily which existed on the mainland of the southern Italian The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies ( Regno delle Due Sicilie) commonly known as just the Two Sicilies, was the name of a Kingdom in Europe. Italian Unification ( Italian: il Risorgimento, or "The Resurgence" was the political and social movement that unified different states of the Italian

The metropolitan area of Palermo is the fifth most populated in Italy and in the top eighty of the largest in all of Europe with around 1. This is a list of the largest Metropolitan areas of Europe. The population figures for both the metropolitan area and central city are given Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest 2 million people. In the central area, the city itself has a population of around 670 thousand people, the inhabitants are known as Palermitans or poetically panormiti, the language spoke by its inhabitants is the Sicilian language. Sicilian (scn '''''lu sicilianu''''' lingua siciliana, also known as Siculu or Calabro-Sicilian) is a Romance language.

The religion of Roman Catholicism is highly important in Palermitan culture, the patron saint of the city is Saint Rosalia, her feast day on July 15 is perhaps the biggest social event in the city. The patron saint of a particular group of people is a Saint who would protect and 'love' the group and its members Saint Rosalia (also called La Santuzza or "The Little Saint") Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final The area attracts significant amounts of tourists each year and is widely known for its colourful fruit, vegetable and fish market at the heart of Palermo known as the Vucciria. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel Sao Paulo Stock Exchangejpg|thumb| Virtual market arena where buyer and seller are not present and trade via intemediates and electronical information ^[1]

History

Villa Bonanno park. A park is a protected area of Land and Water, usually in its natural or semi-natural (landscaped state and set aside for some purpose often to do with human

Panorama of Palermo.

Piazza Pretoria.

The Cathedral of Palermo.

The Porta Nuova ("New Gate") is the monumental access to the centre of the city.

Baroque interior of the Church of the Jesus.

Palazzo dei Normanni.

Roger II's Cappella Palatina combines French-Norman, Byzantine, and Arabic influences. The Palatine Chapel (Cappella Palatina is the royal Chapel of the Norman kings of Sicily situated on the ground floor at the center of the Palazzo

Teatro Massimo.

Teatro Politeama.

Zisa.

San Giovanni degli Eremiti.

Façade of the Church of the Magione.

Fontana Pretoria.

Harbour with Monte Pellegrino.

Main article: History of Palermo

Palermo was founded in the 20th century BC by Phoenician tradesmen around a natural harbour on the north-western coast of Sicily. Palermo is one of the major cities of Italy. First settlements Human settlement in the Palermo area goes back to Prehistoric Age Phoenicia ( Phoenician: Phoenician nunsvg|12px|נ]]Phoenician nun The Phoenician name for the city may have been Zîz, but Greeks called it Panormus (see also List of traditional Greek place names), meaning all-port, because of its fine natural harbour. The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions This is a list of Greek place names. That is a list of the names of places as they exist in the Greek language. It should be noted however that the city was never a Greek city-state, but was later part of the Greek speaking Eastern Roman Empire. Palermo is widely considered to be one of the most conquered cities in the world.

Palermo remained a Carthaginian city until the First Punic War (264-241 BC), when Sicily fell under Roman rule. The First Punic War ( 264 to 241 BC) was the first of three major wars fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic. Events By place Greece Abantidas, the son of Paseas, becomes Tyrant of the Greek city-state of Sicyon after Events By place Greece The Eurypontid King of Sparta, Agis IV, is called away from Sparta when Aratus of Sicyon The Roman Republic was the phase of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by a Republican form of government a period which began with the overthrow of the The Roman period was one of comparative calm, Palermo coming under the provincial administration in Syracuse. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Syracuse (Siracusa Sicilian: Sarausa, Classical Greek: / transliterated Syrakousai) is a historic City in When the Roman Empire was split, Sicily and Palermo came under the rules of the Vandal, the Ostrogoth and the Eastern Byzantine Empire. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The Ostrogoths (Ostrogothi or Austrogothi were a branch of the Goths, an East Germanic tribe that played a major role in the political events of the late

In the 9th century, Sicily was divided into two prefectures by the Byzantines. The 9th century is the period from 801 to 900 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. The two prefects went to war with each other, and Euphimius, the winner, dreamt of reuniting the Roman empire. However, he lacked an army, so he asked the Arab Aghlabids rulers of North Africa, at the time the up-and-coming power in the Mediterranean, to lend him theirs. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding The Aghlabid dynasty of emirs members of the Arab tribe of Bani Tamim, ruled Ifriqiya (northern Africa nominally on behalf of the Abbasid Within a week of the Arabs' arrival in Palermo in 827, Euphimius died mysteriously, and they declined to leave. By 878 all of Sicily, except for a few Byzantine enclaves near Taormina, was controlled by the Saracens. Taormina ( Sicilian: Taurmina; Greek: - Tauromenion; Latin Tauromenium) is a Comune and small town In 905 they captured those too. The Arab rulers moved Sicily's capital to Palermo where it has been ever since.

Under Muslim dominion Palermo became an important commercial and cultural center, a flourishing city broadly known in the whole Arab world - it is said that it had more than 300 mosques. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion But they were also years of tolerance: Christians and Jews were permitted to follow their own credo. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth PLEASE TAKE NOTE************

In 1060 the Normans launched an invasion against the Muslim emirate of Sicily, taking Palermo on January 10, 1072 and the whole island by 1091. The Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. An invasion is a military offensive consisting of all or large parts of the Armed forces of one geopolitical entity aggressively entering territory The Emirate of Sicily was an Islamic state on the island of Sicily from 965 to 1072. Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war. The resulting blend of Norman and Arab culture fostered a unique hybrid style of architecture as can be seen[1] in the Palatine Chapel, the church San Giovanni degli Eremiti and the Zisa. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding The term architecture (from Greek αρχιτεκτονικήarchitektoniki) can be used to mean a process a profession or documentation It is arguable whether this conquest was a 'crusade', however. Count Roger (d. 1101), brother of the infamous Robert Guiscard, took territories often by a treaty method. This is the long run implies that Muslims were able to continue their faith whilst local communities were largely unchanged. Moreover, that Roger was not attempting a 'crusade' but rather a territorial expansion is demonstrated by his eagerness to prevent conversion of Muslims within his own army. This is attested in the latin Chronicle, the Life of St Anselm.

Sicily in 1194 fell under the control of the Holy Roman Empire. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in Palermo was the preferred city of the Emperor Frederick II. Frederick II ( December 26, 1194 &ndash December 13, 1250) of the Hohenstaufen dynasty was a Pretender to the title Muslims of Palermo were migrated and expelled during Holy Roman rule. After an interval of Angevin rule (1266-1282), Sicily came under the house of Aragon and later, in (1479), the kingdom of Spain until 1713 and between 1717-1718. Angevin (ˈændʒəvɪn ( French, from Old French, from Medieval Latin Andegavinus from Andegavia Anjou, France) is the name applied The Crown of Aragon was a permanent union of multiple titles and states in the hands of the King of Aragon. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Palerrmo also managed by Savoy between 1713-1717 and 1718-1720 and Austria between 1720-1734. For the two French départements of the region of Savoy see Savoie and Haute-Savoie Savoy ( French Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich

Sicily's unification (1734) with the Bourbon-ruled kingdom of Naples as the kingdom of the Two Sicilies inflicted a devastating blow on the elite of Palermo, as the city was reduced to just another provincial city, the royal court residing in Naples. Year 1734 ( MDCCXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The House of Bourbon is an important European Royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty. Naples ( Napoli, Neapolitan: Nàpule) is a historic City in southern Italy, the Capital of the The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies ( Regno delle Due Sicilie) commonly known as just the Two Sicilies, was the name of a Kingdom in Europe. Palermo rebelled in 1848 and held out against the Neapolitan crown until May 1849. Year 1848 ( MDCCCXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Naples ( Napoli, Neapolitan: Nàpule) is a historic City in southern Italy, the Capital of the Year 1849 ( MDCCCXLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

The Italian Risorgimento and Sicily's annexation (1860) to the kingdom of Italy gave Palermo a second chance. Italian Unification ( Italian: il Risorgimento, or "The Resurgence" was the political and social movement that unified different states of the Italian Year 1860 ( MDCCLX) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year starting The House of Savoy (Casa Savoia was formed in the early eleventh century in the historical Savoy region It was once again the administrative centre of Sicily, and there was a certain economic and industrial development. In the second half of the 19th century Palermo expanded beyond the historical centre, especially towards Via della Libertá. Monumental public buildings were erected and a new thoroughfare was cut into the dense old town, called Via Roma. The city was one of the main centres of Art Nouveau style in Italy. Art Nouveau ( nu vo anglicised /ˈɑːt nuːvəu/ ( French for 'new art' also known as Jugendstil ( German for 'youth style' is an international

Palermo survived almost the entire fascist period unscathed, but during the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943 it suffered heavy damage. Fascism is a totalitarian nationalist and corporatist ideology The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

The importance of Palermo got another boost when Sicily became (1947) an autonomous region with extended self-rule. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. But any improvement was thwarted by the rising power of the Mafia, which still today is a dramatic feature of the city, as well as the whole Southern Italy. The Mafia (also known as Cosa Nostra) is a Sicilian Criminal Secret society which is believed to have first developed in the mid-19th century

Main sights

Palermo has a noteworthy architectural heritage and is notable for its many Norman buildings. For other buildings in Normandy see Architecture of Normandy.

Churches

• The Cathedral of Palermo (1185). The Cathedral of Palermo is an architectural complex in Palermo ( Sicily, Italy)
• San Giovanni dei Lebbrosi (1071)
• San Giovanni degli Eremiti (1132)
• Martorana (Santa Maria dell'Ammiragliato, 1143)
• San Cataldo (12th century)
• Santa Maria della Gancia
• Santa Maria della Catena
• San Giuseppe dei Teatini
• Oratorio di San Lorenzo
• Oratorio del Rosario
• Santa Teresa alla Kalsa derives its name from Al-Khalisa, an arab term meaning elected. San Giovanni degli Eremiti (St John of the Hermits is a church in Palermo, near the Palazzo dei Normanni. La Martorana, also known as Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio ( Saint Mary of the Admiral) is a church in Palermo ( Sicily, Italy) San Cataldo is a church of the Sicilian city of Palermo, on the central Piazza Bellini San Giuseppe dei Teatini is a church in the Sicilian city of Palermo. For the district in Palermo Sicily see Khalisa Kalša is a Village and Municipality in Košice-okolie District Kiryat Shmona (קִרְיַת שְׁמוֹנָה lit City of the Eight is a City located in the North District of Israel on the western slopes Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language The church, constructed in 1686-1706 over the former emir's residence, is one of the most outstanding examples of Sicilian Baroque. Year 1706 ( MDCCVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Sicilian Baroque is the distinctive form of Baroque architecture that took hold on the island of Sicily It has a single, airy nave, with stucco decorations from the early 18th century. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system
• Santa Maria dello Spasimo was built in 1506 and later turned into a hospital. For this temple Raphael painted his famous Sicilia's Spasimo, now in the Museo del Prado of Madrid. Raphael Sanzio, usually known by his first name alone (in Italian Raffaello) (April 6 or March 28 1483 – April 6 1520 was an Italian painter and Christ Falling on the Way to Calvary, also known as Sicilia's Spasimo, is a painting of the Italian High Renaissance master The Museo del Prado is a Museum and Art gallery located in Madrid, the capital of Spain. The church today is a fascinating air-open ruin, which occasionally houses exhibitions and musical shows.
• the Church of the Jesus (Chiesa del Gesù) was built by the Jesuits in the centre of the city from 1564, over a pre-existing convent of Basilian monks. The edifice was further enlarged starting from 1591, becoming one of the most relevant examples of Sicilian Baroque, though retaining some severe late Renaissance fashion. Sicilian Baroque is the distinctive form of Baroque architecture that took hold on the island of Sicily The church was heavily damaged after the 1943 bombings, which destroyed most of the frescoes. The interior has a Latin cross plan with a nave and two aisles, characterized by a particularly rich decoration of marbles, tarsias and stuccoes, especially in the St. Anne chapel. At the right is the Casa Professa, with a 1685 portal and a precious 18th century cloister. The Church of the Jesus is home to the Municipal Library, placede here in 1775.
• The church of St. Francis of Assisi, erected in what was once the market district of the city. For the opera by Olivier Messiaen see Saint-François d'Assise. It was built between 1255 and 1277 in the site of two pre-existing churches, and was largely renovated in the 15th, 16th, 18th and 19th centuries, the latter after an earthquake. After the 1943 bombings, the church was restored to its Mediaeval appearance, which now includes part of the original building such as part of the right side, the apses and the Gothic portal in the façade. The interior has a typical Gothic flavour, with a nave and two aisles separated by two rows of cylindrical pilasters. Some of the chapels are in Renaissance style, as well as the late 16th century side portals. The church includes precious sculptures by Antonio and Giacomo Gagini, and Francesco Laurana, plus a noteworthy wooden choir dating from the 16th century. Francesco Laurana (de la Vrana, (c 1430 &ndash before 12 March 1502) was a Dalmatian born sculptor and Medallist in Croatia Of note are also the allegorical statues by Giacomo Serpotta (1723), also author of the stucco decoration.
• The church of the Magione (officially church of the Holy Trinity), an ancient example of Norman architecture. SSC RF "Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Termonuclear Research" or TRINITY for shprt Троицкий Институт инновационных и термоядерных The church was founded in 1191 by Matteo d'Ajello, who donated it to the Cistercian monks.

Palaces and museums

• Palazzo dei Normanni, one of the most beautiful Italian palaces and a notable example of Norman architecture, probably built over an Arab fortress. The Palazzo dei Normanni is a palace in Palermo, Italy. It was the seat of the Kings of Sicily. For other buildings in Normandy see Architecture of Normandy. It houses the famous Cappella Palatina. The Palatine Chapel (Cappella Palatina is the royal Chapel of the Norman kings of Sicily situated on the ground floor at the center of the Palazzo
• Zisa (1160) and Cuba, magnificent castles/houses used by the kings of Palermo for hunting. The Zisa is a castle in the western part of Palermo, Sicily. The construction was begun in the 12th century by Arabian craftsmen for king William I of The Cuba is a Palace in the Sicilian city of Palermo. It was built in 1180 by William II of Sicily in his great Royal Park as his Similar buildings were common in northern Africa, but today these two are the only ones remaining. The Zisa houses the Islamic museum. The Cuba was once encircled by water.
• Palazzo Chiaramonte
• Palazzo Abatellis, with the Regional Gallery. It was built at the end of the 15th century for the prefect of the city, Francesco Abatellis. It is a lassive though elegant construction, in typical Catalan Gothic style, with Renaissance influences. See also Gothic art Gothic architecture is a style of Architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period. The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere The Gallery houses an Elenora of Aragon bust by Francesco Laurana (1471) and the Malvagna Triptych (c. Francesco Laurana (de la Vrana, (c 1430 &ndash before 12 March 1502) was a Dalmatian born sculptor and Medallist in Croatia 1510), by Jan Gossaert and the famous Annunziata by Antonello da Messina. See Doctor Mabuse for the fictional villain Jan Mabuse (c 1478 &ndash October 1, 1532) the name adopted (from his Antonello da Messina, properly Antonello di Giovanni di Antonio (c The exposition in the museum has been designed by the famous architect Carlo Scarpa. Carlo Scarpa ( June 2, 1906 - 1978 was an Italian Designer with a profound understanding of materials landscape and the history of Venetian
• The Museo Archeologico Regionale is one the main museums of Italy: it includes numerous remains from Etruscan, Carthaginian, Roman and Hellenistic civilizations. Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to the culture and way of life of a people of ancient Italy Carthage (Καρχηδών Karkhēdōn, Carthago from the Phoenician קרת חדשת phn-Latn Qart-ḥadašt meaning new town) refers Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period. It houses all the decorative parts from the Sicilian temples of Segesta and Selinunte. Segesta (Seggesta was the political center of the Elymian people Selinunte ( Greek:; Latin: Selinus) is an ancient Greek archaeological site situated on the south coast of Sicily between

Opera Houses

• The Teatro Massimo ("Greatest Theatre") was opened in 1897. The Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele is an Opera house and opera company located on the Piazza Verdi in Palermo, Sicily. Closed for renovation from 1974 until 1997, it is now carefully restored and has an active schedule. Enrico Caruso sang in a performance of La Gioconda during the opening season, returning for Rigoletto at the very end of his career. Enrico Caruso (born Errico Caruso; February 25 1873 &ndash August 2 1921) was an Italian Opera singer La Gioconda may be La Gioconda, alternate title of painting Mona Lisa ''La Gioconda'' (opera Rigoletto is an Opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian Libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based It is the largest theater in Italy (8000 sm).
• The Teatro Politeama was built between 1867 and 1874. Nowadays, the town's Gallery of Modern Art is accommodated here.

Squares

• Quattro Canti is a small square at the crossing of the ancient main roads (now: Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via Maqueda) dividing the town into its quarters ('mandamenti'). Quattro Canti, officially known as Piazza Vigliena is a Baroque square in Palermo, Sicily, Southern Italy. Historically a mandamento was the part of Italian territory under the Jurisdiction of a "pretore" which is a kind of Magistrate. The buildings at the corner have diagonal baroque facades so that the square gets an almost octagonal form.
• Piazza Pretoria was planned in the 16th century near the Quattro Canti as the site of a fountain by Francesco Camilliani, the Fontana Pretoria.

Other sights

The Cathedral has a heliometer (solar "observatory") of 1690, one of a number^[2] built in Italy in the 17th and 18th centuries. Heliometer (from Greek sun and measure) is an instrument originally designed for measuring the variation of the Sun 's diameter at different The device itself is quite simple: a tiny hole in one of the minor domes acts as Pinhole camera, projecting an image of the sun onto the floor at solar noon (12:00 in winter, 13:00 in summer). A' pinhole camera' is a very simple Camera with no lens and a single very small Aperture. There is a bronze line, la Meridiana on the floor, running precisely N/S. This article is about the astronomical concept For other uses of the word see Meridian. The ends of the line mark the positions as at the summer and winter solstices; signs of the zodiac show the various other dates throughout the year.

The purpose of the instrument was to standardise the measurement of time and the calendar. In Physics, the treatment of Time is a central issue It has been treated as a question of Geometry. The Gregorian calendar is the most widely used Calendar in the world today The convention in Sicily had been that the (24 hour) day was measured from the moment of sun-rise, which of course meant that no two locations had the same time and, more importantly, did not have the same time as in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The Basilica of Saint Peter (Basilica Sancti Petri officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St It was also important to know when the Vernal Equinox occurred, to provide the correct date for Easter. An equinox is the event of the Sun passing over the Earth's equator in its annual cycle Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year.

The Orto botanico di Palermo, founded in 1785, is the largest in Italy with a surface of 10 ha. The Orto Botanico di Palermo ( Palermo Botanical Garden) is both a Botanic garden and a research and educational institution forming part of and managed by the Department Year 1785 ( MDCCLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

One site of interest is the Capuchin Catacombs, with many mummified corpses in varying degrees of preservation. The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin ( OFM Cap; in England and Ireland, O The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo (also Catacombe dei Cappuccini or Catacombs of the Capuchins are burial Catacombs in Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy A mummy is a Corpse whose Skin and Flesh have been preserved by either intentional or Incidental exposure to Chemicals extreme A cadaver or corpse is a dead Body. "Cadaver" is normally used as a more formal term for a body being used in medical training or research

Close to the city is 600-metre (1,970 ft) high Monte Pellegrino, with spectacular views of the city, its surrounding mountains and the ocean. .

Sports

Palermo has its own football team, U.S. Città di Palermo, playing in Italian Serie A and in UEFA Cup first round of the 2007-2008 season. Unione Sportiva Città di Palermo is an Italian football club from Palermo, Sicily which currently plays in Serie A, the top level of Italian Serie A (officially known as the Lega Calcio Serie A TIM for Sponsorship reasons is a professional league competition for football clubs located The UEFA Cup is a football competition for European club teams organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA. The chairman is Maurizio Zamparini and the coach is Stefano Colantuono. Maurizio Zamparini (born June 9, 1941 in Sevegliano, Udine) is an Italian Businessman and the current owner and chairman Stefano Colantuono (born October 23, 1962 in Rome) is an Italian football manager, formerly managing Palermo The Targa Florio was an open road endurance car race held near Palermo. The Targa Florio was an open road Endurance automobile race held near Palermo Sicily. Founded in 1906, it used to be one of the oldest sports car racing events until it was discontinued in 1977 due to safety concerns but has since run as a rallying event.

Home to the grand depart of the 2008 Giro d'Italia. The Giro d'Italia ( Tour of Italy) also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance Road bicycle racing Stage race for professional The initial stage will be a 28. 5 km long TTT (Team Time Trial) held on May 10th.

Patron saints

The patron saint of Palermo is Santa Rosalia, who is still widely venerated. Saint Rosalia (also called La Santuzza or "The Little Saint") On the 14th of July, people in Palermo celebrate the "Festino", which is the most important religious event of the year. The Festino is a procession in the main street of Palermo to remember the miracle attributed to Santa Rosalia who, it is believed, freed the city from the Black Death in 1624. The Black Death, or the Black Plague, was one of the deadliest Pandemics in human history widely thought to have been caused by a bacterium named Yersinia The cave where the bones of Santa Rosalia were discovered is on Monte Pellegrino (see above): when her relics were carried around the city three times, the plague was lifted. There is a Santuario marking the spot and can be reached via a scenic bus ride from the city below.

Before 1624 Palermo had four patron saints, one for each of the four major parts of the city. The patron saint of a particular group of people is a Saint who would protect and 'love' the group and its members They were Saint Agatha, Saint Christina, Saint Ninfa and Saint Olivia. Saint Christina or Christine is the name of several recognized saints the most recent of whom is Christina the Astonishing (1150–1224 whose feast Saints Tryphon (Trypho Respicius and Nympha (Ninfa are Christian Saints who were formerly celebrated jointly on 10 November in the Liturgical calendar Saint Olivia was according to legend the beautiful daughter of a noble Sicilian family

Saint Lucy is also honoured with a peculiar celebration, during which inhabitants of Palermo do not eat anything made with flour, but boil wheat in its natural state and use it to prepare a special dish called cuccìa. Cuccìa is a traditional Sicilian dish containing boiled Wheat berries which is eaten on Saint Lucy 's feast day ( December 13) This commemorates the saving of the city from famine through the intercession of St Lucia. A ship full of grain mysteriously arrived in the city's harbour and the population was so hungry that they did not waste time in making flour but ate the grain as it had arrived.

Climate

Transport

Palermo International Airport, also known as Falcone-Borsellino Airport, Punta Raisi Airport: dedicated to Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, two anti-mafia judges killed by the mafia in early 1990s, is located 32 km (19 miles) west of Palermo (Punta Raisi). Palermo International Airport, also known as Falcone-Borsellino Airport and Punta Raisi Airport is located at Punta Raisi, about 35 km (20 miles Palermo International Airport, also known as Falcone-Borsellino Airport and Punta Raisi Airport is located at Punta Raisi, about 35 km (20 miles Palermo International Airport, also known as Falcone-Borsellino Airport and Punta Raisi Airport is located at Punta Raisi, about 35 km (20 miles He who's afraid dies every day who's not afraid dies only once Paolo Borsellino (Palermo January 19, 1940 - Palermo July 19, 1992) was an Italian anti- Mafia Magistrate

The airport can also be reached by trains departing from Centrale, Notarbartolo and Francia stations.

Twin cities

• Bizerte, Tunisia
• Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Chengdu, Peoples' Republic of China
• Timişoara, Romania
• Gdańsk, Poland

• Miami, USA
• Monterey, Canada
• Palermo, Colombia
• Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
• Tblisi, Georgia
• Yaroslavl, Russia

References

Sources

Bibliography

• Fabbri, Patrizia (2005). Palermo e Monreale. Florence: Bonechi.  
• Almsaodi, Aymn. The Desert Race.  

See also

• List of mayors of Palermo
• The Sack Of Palermo
• Giardini - a suburb of Palermo

External links

• Palermo travel guide from Wikitravel
• The City Council website
• Official tourism website for the city
• Information about the city of Palermo (In Italian)