We had another day to explore Palermo on our own, so Bruce and I set out to walk the streets of the city. Our first stop was to visit the Church of Santa Maria dell’ Ammiraglio (also called Martorana), known for its Byzantine mosaics that date back to the 1140’s. The craftsmanship of these mosaics, many in gold, was stunning, as were the floor and wall tile designs.
(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)
Very close to the church was Piazza Vigliena, also known as “Quattro Canti” (Four Corners). The most beautiful architecture I had ever seen on four corners of an intersection, it was obvious others agreed; it was packed with tourists when we visited the following day with our tour group. This day was relatively quiet, at least at the time of our visit.
Commissioned by the Senate of Palermo and designed by Giulio Lasso, the four corners were built between 1608 and 1620. By 1663, the buildings were complete with sculptures and decorations.
The fountain of each corner represents a different season. Pictured below is the north-west corner, representing the Seraldcadio/Capo district and the summer season. The sculptures are of Philip II, king of Spain, and patron Saint Santa Ninfa.
This north-east corner represents Autumn, and the sculptures depict King Philip III and patron Saint Oliva de Palermo.
Continuing our walk along Via Vittorio Emanuele, one of the main streets of historic Palermo, we arrived at Palermo Cathedral, just one-third of a mile away. Construction of this Roman Catholic church began in 1185, but it wasn’t completed until the 18th century, after several additions and renovations. As a result, the complex has many architectural styles and a long, detailed history!
Old Palermo was easy to see on foot, so we enjoyed wandering the streets, taking in the sights and sounds of the sidewalk cafes and shops, stopping for delicious gelato along the way.
It was wonderful to be back in Italy! This was my sixth time in the country and my fourth with Bruce. After visiting Calabria with friends, we returned to Italy on our first OAT tour to Tuscany and Umbria, with a pre-extension to Parma and Bologna. Last year, we traveled with OAT to the Dolomites in northern Italy, following a pre-extension to Switzerland. Now, we were beginning our journey through Sicily, eager to see what adventures awaited us.
Coming up next: SICILY & THE AMALFI COAST #3: PALERMO ON TOUR
Elaine-iaK's Travels: A Traveler's Tales of People, Places, Photos, Pools... and CHOCOLATE! 