Archive for the ‘sicily’ Category
La Vucciria Market in Palermo, Sicily
I intended to only write one post combining the markets and gardens of Palermo. When I started it, though, I quickly realized that I can’t. There’s simply too much good stuff to try to cram it all together.
So today won’t be the last Palermonday after all! Today we’ll hit the markets, and next Monday, the gardens, OK? And if you *really* want, perhaps we’ll even explore the Catacombs as well.
So tell me, would you like to see dead people?
Palermo’s markets are famous, and just from what we saw, I have to say–with good reason.
Unfortunately for Cherrye and me, our time in Palermo was limited, so we only had a quick pass through La Vucciria market the morning before we left. The other markets are Capo, Ballarò, and Borgo Vecchio, and then there are tons of little markets, or mercatini, on various days throughout the city.
La Vucciria is split up into food items and then everything else. Here’s a glimpse of part of “everything else”; sorry for the lighting. Didn’t catch the angles of the sunlight well I’m afraid, but you can still get a feel for the streets of the city, right?
There was a lot of nice knock-off stuff that was better quality than at our markets here, and yet I came home with souvenirs from an Indian shop of all places. What can I say? We don’t have any Indians in my village.
The food part was full of lovely sights and smells (except the fish, which doesn’t smell so good). The colors sure were pretty though.
We loaded up on spices but realized later that we should have grabbed some fruit for the train ride home. Lesson learned.
I would go back to Palermo just for the markets, I tell you.
Come back next week for the gardens!
P.S. I should warn my faithful readers that from now until at least early July, I will be cutting back on posting to three times a week. My mom is arriving shortly, and I want to have as much time with her as possible. Woohoo for mom visits!
Duomo in Palermo, Sicily
Welcome back to Palermonday!
A few weeks ago, we started at Teatro Massimo, and then we started a walking tour up Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Now, after passing through the Porta Nuova and seeing Quattro Canti and La Fontana della Vergogna/The Fountain of Shame, we have arrived at the Duomo.
Absolutely one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever seen.
Part of what makes the Duomo so unique is its many architectural influences that reflect Sicily’s history as a territory that has seen a truly impressive number of leaders–check out this busy flag of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (thanks Paulus Maximus!).
The Duomo was built by Normans in 1184 on the site of a Muslim mosque that had been built over an early Christian basilica.
Got that?
During the 13th and 14th centuries, Gothic additions were added to the exterior and then the Spaniards added a Catalan touch in the 15th century.
Neoclassical elements were introduced both inside and out during the late 18th and early 19th century by architect Fernando Fuga of Naples.
You can read much more about the architectural details and see great photos of the Duomo, especially of the interior, here.
And just for fun, check out this liceo (equivalent of a US high school) that overlooks the Duomo.
Somehow I don’t think concentration would come easily for me with the gorgeous Duomo outside.
Be sure to come back next week for the last Palermomonday—
gardens and fruits and veggies, oh my!
Happy Memorial Day to those in the US! Hope you have your poppy!
La Porta Nuova in Palermo, Sicily
It’s Palermonday again!
After visiting Teatro Massimo, La Fontana della Vergogna, and Quattro Canti, we’re now continuing along on Corso Vittorio Emanuele through la Porta Nuova (left) in Palermo.
This is one of my favorite photos of Palermo. I love how it captures the history, the hustle and bustle of the city, and even a Smart car–essential for any European street scene.
Plus I’m pretty proud of myself for not caring that I looked like a total tourist while stopping on that tiny sidewalk (believe me, the photo makes it look *gigantic* compared to the reality), burning my eyes looking into the strong midday sun, and snapping away.
I used to have issues with that, but I’m apparently past them.
The original Porta Nuova was built in 1583 to commemorate the victory of Charles V (known as Carlo V in Italy) over the Turks, but was destroyed in an explosion in 1667. Two years later, architect Gaspare Guercio redid the entrance to the city, adding a majolica-tiled pyramid with an eagle on the top (as always, click on photos to enlarge):
For centuries, Porta Nuova was the most important entry way into the city of Palermo, but Cherrye and I had a few moments of doubt as to whether we could actually pass through it on foot and continue along Corso Vittorio Emanuele without taking a detour.
We are living proof that you can indeed walk through the Porta Nuova.
Sure, it’s against traffic, but don’t worry, it opens up a bit inside to about the same width as the sidewalk outside. In fact, I felt safe enough to stop and take a photo of the inside of Porta Nuova, something you’re not going to find just anywhere:
Adjacent to the Porta Nuova is the Palazzo dei Normanni, the seat of the Regional Parliament in Sicily and also home of the Cappella Palatina, the royal chapel of the Norman kings of Sicily and one of the most beautiful and impressive sites in all of Palermo.
Or so we’ve been told.
It was closed the day we were there, which means we have yet another reason to return to this beautiful city.
On to the Duomo next Palermonday!
Quattro Canti in Palermo, Sicily
It’s Palermonday again!
Two weeks ago, we visited Italy’s largest opera house, Teatro Massimo, and last week we were at La Fontana della Vergogna, or the Fountain of Shame.
Well, just around the corner from gorgeous Piazza Pretoria is Quattro Canti, or the Four Corners, marking the intersection of Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via Maqueda–the old heart of Palermo:
The four buildings of Quattro Canti each have three levels of Giulio Lasso-designed Baroque sculptures.
The themes are the Four Seasons, Spanish kings, and patron saints of Palermo’s original four quarters.
There are also gorgeous Baroque fountains at ground level.
It is said that the sculptures used to be pearly white, but city smog and pollution have given them a grey, um, patina. Still gorgeous though, aren’t they?
Make sure you come back next week for the next installment of Palermondays because believe me, everywhere you look in Palermo, there seems to be yet another amazing, sculpted masterpiece.
They just don’t make buildings like this anymore, do they?
La Fontana della Vergogna – Fountain of Shame – in Palermo, Sicily
It’s Palermonday again! If you missed the first installment, please check out last Monday’s visit to Teatro Massimo as well.
Cherrye and I only had one full day to explore Palermo. We wanted to really get a feel for the city, so we decided to just walk around and see what we stumbled upon (with the help of some guidebook info of course).
As it turns out, Palermo is *fabulous* for walking because many of the major sites run along Corso Vittorio Emanuele, historically been the city’s most important street, and that’s the route I’m going to take you on.
We started at our hotel in the Piazza Marina area and headed away from the water and up the main street.
The gorgeous Piazza Pretoria was our first major find:
And we weren’t the only ones there.
One sweet girl from this troop actually came up to me and asked me where to find something–apparently there was a scavenger hunt going on.
But the only thing I really knew how to find was what was in the middle of Piazza Pretoria: La Fontana della Vergogna, or the Fountain of Shame, a work by Florentine sculptor Francesco Camilliani and Michelangelo Naccherino completed in 1555.
Why is it called the Fountain of Shame you ask?
Well look at all that nekkidness!
You see, the fountain was originally intended for the private villa of the Viceroy Don Pedro de Toledo in Tuscany, where perhaps the 16 (nude) representations of gods and goddesses would’ve been more appropriate.
Let’s just say it didn’t go over so well in the middle of Palermo.
Piazza Pretoria is absolutely surrounded by churches, and as it turns out, the faithful weren’t too excited to come out of Mass and see such debauchery.
But to my 21st century eyes, the fountain and everything around it is simply amazing.
I even love the inscription telling us the name of the iron foundry responsible for protecting the fountain.
Grazie Fonderia Gaetano Basile!
And here is some detail of the church across Via Maqueda (in the background of the first photo), Chiesa di San Giuseppe dei Teatini, designed by Giacomo Besio in 1612 with the dome added in the 18th century:
You might get the idea that Cherrye and I spent quite a bit of time in this square. We did.
It’s breathtakingly beautiful.
And since photos of the fountain at night are so lovely, I can only hope to get back to Palermo someday and see it all lit up in person.
Who’s coming with?
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
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