Palermo, Italy

Palermo is the capital of Sicily and its largest city. It is beautifully situated on a wide bay underneath the limestone bulk of Monte Pellegrino. Originally a Phoenician, then a Carthaginian colony, this remarkable city that was long considered a prize worth capturing. After the first Punic war it passed from the Carthaginian hands to the Romans (254 - 253 B.C.) and later became a colony under the reign of Augustus.

Under Arab domination it obtained great splendour: It became an emirate and had around 300 mosques. Finally Palermo became Norman in 1072 with a conquest by Ruggero dAltavilla. Palermo became the greatest city in Europe, famed for the wealth of its court and peerless as a centre of learning.

In the hands of the Angevins it passed through a phase of decline, due to the transfer of the Reigns Capital to Naples. Due to misgovernment, the population revolted and the War of the Vespers ensued (1282). In the course of its history, Palermo always searched for independence.

The long history of the city assures that there is a much of historical value to see, although the city as a whole, as well as some of the sights, are in need of repair.

Today Palermo is a fast, brash and exciting city. The mix of arabic and viking influences is one of the strangest and unexpected surprises the city has to offer. Buildings dating from the 11th and 12th century, the heyday of Medieval Sicily, offer this peculiar quality. The most noteworthy and an absolute must is the Palazzo dei Normanni

Other interesting sights include the Quattro Canti, a nice example of Baroque architecture and the Catacombs. From the 16th to the last century local noblemen and clergy were mummified here. Very impressive are the Monastery and Cathedral of Monreale in the nearby village of Monreale (a couple of kilometers out of the city-center).

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