Palermo
Palermo
Palermu (Sicilian) | |
---|---|
Comune di Palermo | |
Saint Benedict the Moor | |
Saint day | 14 July |
Website | Official website |
Palermo (
The city was founded in 734 BC by the
The population of Palermo
Palermo is Sicily's
Geography
Palermo lies in a basin, formed by the Papireto, Kemonia and Oreto rivers. The basin was named the Conca d'Oro (the Golden Basin) by the
Climate
Palermo experiences a hot-summer subtropical Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa) with moderate seasonality. Summers are very long, hot and dry due to the domination of subtropical high pressure system, while winters are mild and changeable, with rainy weather due to the polar front.[13] Temperatures in autumn and spring are typically warm. Palermo is one of the warmest cities in Europe (mainly due to its warm nights), with an average annual air temperature of 18 °C (64 °F); it is one of the warmest cities in Italy. It receives approximately 2,530 hours of sunshine per year. Snow is a rare occurrence having snowed about a dozen times since 1945.[14] Since the 1940s to nowadays there have been at least five times when considerable snowfall has occurred. In 1949 and in 1956, when the minimum temperature went down to 0 °C (32 °F), the city was blanketed by some centimetres of snow.[15] Snowfalls also occurred in 1981, 1986, 1999 and 2014.[16] The average annual temperature of the sea is above 19 °C (66 °F); from 14 °C (57 °F) in February to 26 °C (79 °F) in August. In the period from November to May, the average sea temperature exceeds 18 °C (64 °F) and in the period from June to October, the average sea temperature exceeds 21 °C (70 °F).[17]
Climate data for Palermo-Boccadifalco Airport on the outskirts of the city (altitude: 117 m, satellite view ), 1971–2000 normals, Extremes 1943–present
| |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 27.2 (81.0) |
28.1 (82.6) |
34.6 (94.3) |
32.2 (90.0) |
39.1 (102.4) |
44.0 (111.2) |
43.6 (110.5) |
45.2 (113.4) |
41.2 (106.2) |
37.4 (99.3) |
30.3 (86.5) |
26.7 (80.1) |
45.2 (113.4) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 14.7 (58.5) |
14.5 (58.1) |
16.4 (61.5) |
18.7 (65.7) |
23.3 (73.9) |
27.2 (81.0) |
29.8 (85.6) |
30.5 (86.9) |
27.5 (81.5) |
23.5 (74.3) |
19.0 (66.2) |
15.8 (60.4) |
21.7 (71.1) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 11.8 (53.2) |
11.5 (52.7) |
13.0 (55.4) |
15.1 (59.2) |
19.3 (66.7) |
23.2 (73.8) |
25.7 (78.3) |
26.6 (79.9) |
23.8 (74.8) |
20.1 (68.2) |
15.9 (60.6) |
13.0 (55.4) |
18.3 (64.9) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 8.9 (48.0) |
8.5 (47.3) |
9.6 (49.3) |
11.4 (52.5) |
15.3 (59.5) |
19.2 (66.6) |
21.7 (71.1) |
22.7 (72.9) |
20.1 (68.2) |
16.7 (62.1) |
12.9 (55.2) |
10.2 (50.4) |
14.8 (58.6) |
Record low °C (°F) | −1.2 (29.8) |
0 (32) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
4.6 (40.3) |
8.4 (47.1) |
11 (52) |
14.8 (58.6) |
13.1 (55.6) |
10.6 (51.1) |
7.2 (45.0) |
3.6 (38.5) |
0.8 (33.4) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 97.5 (3.84) |
109.9 (4.33) |
78.2 (3.08) |
65.1 (2.56) |
36.2 (1.43) |
17.9 (0.70) |
6.7 (0.26) |
31.8 (1.25) |
65.3 (2.57) |
105.6 (4.16) |
117.5 (4.63) |
123.7 (4.87) |
855.4 (33.68) |
Average precipitation days | 9.6 | 9.6 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 4.1 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 5.4 | 8.2 | 10.4 | 12 | 82.1 |
Source 1: Servizio Meteorologico[18] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Tu Tiempo[19] Extreme temperatures. |
Climate data for Palermo-Valverde, elevation: 21 m or 69 ft, 1961–1990 normals, Extremes 1960–1990 | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 15.4 (59.7) |
15.9 (60.6) |
17.5 (63.5) |
20.1 (68.2) |
23.4 (74.1) |
27.2 (81.0) |
30.1 (86.2) |
30.4 (86.7) |
28.3 (82.9) |
24.5 (76.1) |
20.6 (69.1) |
16.9 (62.4) |
22.5 (72.5) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 11.1 (52.0) |
11.5 (52.7) |
12.7 (54.9) |
15.1 (59.2) |
18.2 (64.8) |
21.9 (71.4) |
24.6 (76.3) |
25.0 (77.0) |
23.1 (73.6) |
19.7 (67.5) |
15.9 (60.6) |
12.6 (54.7) |
17.6 (63.7) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 6.8 (44.2) |
7.0 (44.6) |
8.0 (46.4) |
10.1 (50.2) |
12.9 (55.2) |
16.6 (61.9) |
19.0 (66.2) |
19.6 (67.3) |
17.9 (64.2) |
14.8 (58.6) |
11.3 (52.3) |
8.4 (47.1) |
12.7 (54.9) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 89 (3.5) |
69 (2.7) |
58 (2.3) |
46 (1.8) |
25 (1.0) |
10 (0.4) |
5 (0.2) |
12 (0.5) |
42 (1.7) |
80 (3.1) |
84 (3.3) |
93 (3.7) |
613 (24.2) |
Average precipitation days | 12 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 80 |
Source: Servizio Meteorologico[20] |
Climate data for Cinisi, at 30 km (19 mi) from Palermo. ( Palermo Punta Raisi Airport ), elevation: 21 m or 69 ft, 1961–1990 normals, Extremes 1960–1990
| |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 25.6 (78.1) |
29.4 (84.9) |
34.7 (94.5) |
34.6 (94.3) |
40.0 (104.0) |
44.2 (111.6) |
43.1 (109.6) |
42.4 (108.3) |
40.6 (105.1) |
35.2 (95.4) |
31 (88) |
26.7 (80.1) |
44.2 (111.6) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 14.8 (58.6) |
15.1 (59.2) |
16.1 (61.0) |
18.4 (65.1) |
21.8 (71.2) |
25.1 (77.2) |
28.3 (82.9) |
28.8 (83.8) |
26.6 (79.9) |
22.9 (73.2) |
19.3 (66.7) |
16.0 (60.8) |
21.1 (70.0) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 12.5 (54.5) |
12.6 (54.7) |
13.5 (56.3) |
15.7 (60.3) |
18.9 (66.0) |
22.4 (72.3) |
25.6 (78.1) |
26.2 (79.2) |
24.1 (75.4) |
20.3 (68.5) |
16.8 (62.2) |
13.7 (56.7) |
18.5 (65.4) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 10.2 (50.4) |
10.1 (50.2) |
10.9 (51.6) |
12.9 (55.2) |
16.0 (60.8) |
19.7 (67.5) |
22.9 (73.2) |
23.6 (74.5) |
21.5 (70.7) |
17.8 (64.0) |
14.3 (57.7) |
11.5 (52.7) |
16.0 (60.7) |
Record low °C (°F) | 1.4 (34.5) |
2.4 (36.3) |
2.4 (36.3) |
5.8 (42.4) |
9 (48) |
13.3 (55.9) |
16 (61) |
17.9 (64.2) |
13 (55) |
8 (46) |
5.1 (41.2) |
1.6 (34.9) |
1.4 (34.5) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 71.6 (2.82) |
65.4 (2.57) |
59.5 (2.34) |
44.1 (1.74) |
25.5 (1.00) |
12.2 (0.48) |
5.1 (0.20) |
13.3 (0.52) |
41.5 (1.63) |
98.0 (3.86) |
94.3 (3.71) |
80.0 (3.15) |
610.5 (24.02) |
Average precipitation days | 10 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 75 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
73 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 71 | 69 | 71 | 72 | 71 | 70 | 73 | 72 |
Source 1: NOAA[21] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Altervista[22] Extreme temperatures. |
Topography
Palermo is surrounded by mountains, which form a cirque around the city. Some districts of the city are divided by the mountains themselves. Historically, it was relatively difficult to reach the inner part of Sicily from the city because of the mounts. The tallest peak of the range is La Pizzuta, about 1,333 m (4,373 ft) high. However, historically, the most important mount is
Rivers
Today both the Papireto river and the Kemonia are covered up by buildings. However, the shape of the former watercourses can still be recognised today, because the streets that were built on them follow their shapes. Today the only waterway not drained yet is the Oreto river that divides the downtown of the city from the western uptown and the industrial districts. In the basins there were, though, many seasonal torrents that helped formed swampy plains, reclaimed during history; a good example of which can be found in the borough of Mondello.
Districts
Municipality | Quarters |
---|---|
I | Kalsa, Albergheria, Seralcadio & La Loggia |
II | Settecannoli, Brancaccio & Ciaculli-Oreto |
III | Villagrazia-Falsomiele & Stazione-Oreto |
IV | Montegrappa, S. Rosalia, Cuba , Calafatimi, Mezzomonreale, Villa Tasca-Altarello & Boccadifalco
|
V | Zisa, Noce, Uditore-Passo di Rigano & Borgo Nuovo |
VI | Cruillas, S. Giovanni Apostolo, Resuttana & San Lorenzo |
VII | Pallavicino, Tommaso Natale, Sferracavallo, Partanna Mondello, Arenella, Vergine Maria & San Filippo Neri (formerly known as ZEN )
|
VIII | Politeama, Malaspina-Palagonia, Libertà & Monte Pellegrino |
Shown above are the thirty five quarters of Palermo: these thirty five neighbourhoods or "quartiere" as they are known, are further divided into eight governmental community boards.[23]
Landmarks
Palermo has a large architectural heritage and is notable for its many Norman buildings.
Palaces and museums
- Palazzo dei Normanni (the Norman Palace), a notable example of Norman architecture, this palace houses the Cappella Palatina.
- Cuba, magnificent castles/houses historically used by the kings of Palermo for hunting. The Zisa today houses the Islamic museum. The Cuba was once encircled by water.
- Palazzo Natoli
- Palazzo Chiaramonte
- Jan Gossaert and an Annunziata by Antonello da Messina.
- Antonino Salinas Regional Archeological Museum: museum includes numerous remains from Etruscan, Carthaginian, Roman and Hellenistic civilisations. It houses all the decorative remains from the Sicilian temples of Segesta and Selinunte.
- Palazzina Cinese: royal residence of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and location of the Ethnographic Museum of Sicily.
Churches
- Palermo Cathedral: the long history of the cathedral led to an accumulation of different architectural styles, the latest being the 18th century.
- Cappella Palatina, 12th century chapel of the Palazzo dei Normanni, has outstanding mosaics in both Western and the Eastern traditions and a roof by Saracen craftsmen.
- San Giovanni dei Lebbrosi
- San Giovanni degli Eremiti: 12th-century church, near Palazzo dei Normanni, notable for bright red domes, a remnant of Arab influence in Sicily. In his Diary of an Idle Woman in Sicily, F. Elliot described it as "... totally oriental... it would fit well in Baghdad or Damascus". The bell tower is an example of Norman architecture.
- San Cataldo and overlooks Piazza Bellini in central Palermo. Original layout was a compact cross-in-square ("Greek cross plan"), a common south Italian and Sicilian variant of the middle Byzantine period church style. Three eastern apses adjoin directly to the naos, instead of being separated by an additional bay, as was usual in eastern Byzantine architecture.[24]The bell tower, lavishly decorated, still serves as the main entrance to the church. The interior decoration is elaborate, and includes Byzantine mosaics.
- San Cataldo: church on central Piazza Bellini, another example of Norman architecture.
- Santa Maria della Gancia
- Santa Caterina: church located on Piazza Bellini, behind Piazza Pretoria, built between 1566 and 1596.
- Matteo Carnilivari: The name derives from chains that were once attached to one of the walls.
- ".
- San Giuseppe dei Teatini: located near the Quattro Canti, it is an example of Sicilian Baroque.
- Oratorio di San Lorenzo: working in stucco, Rococo sculptor Giacomo Serpotta and his family decorated the church (1690/98–1706) with such a profusion of statuary, and an abundance of putti, the walls appear alive. In October 1969, two thieves removed Caravaggio's Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence from its frame. It has never been recovered.[25][26]
- Oratorio del Rosario: completed by Giacomo Serpotta in (1710–17)
- Santa Teresa alla Kalsa, derives its name from Al-Khalisa, an Arabic term meaning elected, was constructed between 1686 and 1706 over the former Emir's residence, is one of the best examples of Sicilian Baroque. It has a single, airy nave, with stucco decorations from the early 18th century.
- Sicilia's Spasimo, now in the Museo del Prado. The church today is a fascinating open-air auditorium, which occasionally houses exhibitions and musical shows.
- Basilian monks. Alterations in 1591 were completed in a Sicilian Baroque. The church was heavily damaged after the 1943 bombings, which destroyed most of the frescos. The interior has a Latin cross plan with a nave and two aisles, and has a particularly rich decoration of marbles, intarsia and stuccoes, especially in St Anne'sChapel. At the right is the Casa Professa, with a 1685 portal and a precious 18th century cloister. The building has been home to the Municipal Library since 1775.
- San Francesco di Assisi: church built between 1255 and 1277 in what was once the market district of the city, at the site of two pre-existing churches and was largely renovated in the 15th, 16th, 18th and 19th centuries, the last after an earthquake. After the 1943 bombings, the church was restored to its Medieval 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, Giacomo Gagini and Francesco Laurana. Of note are also statues built by Giacomo Serpotta in 1723.
- Church of the Magione: officially known as the church of the Holy Trinity. This church was built in the Norman style in 1191 by Matteo d'Ajello, who donated it to the Cistercian monks.
Squares and public monuments
- Vittorio Emanuele and Via Maqueda) dividing the town into its quarters (mandamenti). The buildings at the corner have diagonal baroque façades so the square has 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.
- The monument to Charles V on Piazza Bologni, erected in 1631.
City walls
Palermo had two rings of
The walls followed the course of the two rivers that surround the city, the Kemonia and the Papireto, creating a natural moat and improving the military security of the city. During the Roman era, they were certainly implemented, as deducible from the subsequent account of Procopius of Caesarea about the capture of Palermo [1],
In the medieval period the city was expanded with a second wall. Via Vittorio Emanuele continued to be the main road east–west through the walled city. The west gate was still Porta Nuova, the walls continued to Corso Alberti, to Piazza Vittorio Emanuele Orlando where it turned east along Via Volturno to Piazza Verdi and along the line of Via Cavour. At this northeast corner the Castello a Mare protected the port at La Cala. A huge chain was used to block La Cala with the other end at Santa Maria della Catena (St Mary of the Chain). The sea-side wall was along the western side of Foro Italico Umberto. The wall turns west along the northern side of Via Abramo Lincoln, continues along Corso Tukory. The wall turns north approximately on Via Benedetto, to Palazzo dei Normanni and back to Porta Nuova.[28]
Several gates in the city wall survive.[29]
Opera houses
Up until the beginning of 20th century there were hundreds of small opera theatres known as magazzeni in the city of Palermo.
- The Teatro Massimo ("Greatest Theatre") was opened in 1897. It is the biggest in Italy (8,000 m2; 86,000 sq ft), and one of the largest of Europe (the third after the Paris Opera and the Vienna State Opera), renowned for its perfect acoustics. Enrico Caruso sang in a performance of La Gioconda during the opening season, returning for Rigoletto at the very end of his career. Closed for renovation from 1974 until 1997, it is now restored and has an active schedule.
- The Teatro Politeama was built between 1867 and 1874.
Other sights
The cathedral has a heliometer (solar observatory) dating to 1690, one of a number[30] built in Italy in the 17th and 18th centuries. 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). There is a bronze line, la Meridiana, on the floor, running precisely north–south. 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. The convention in Sicily had been that the (24‑hour) day was measured from the moment of dawn, 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. It was also important to know when the vernal equinox occurred, to provide the correct date for Easter.
The Orto botanico di Palermo (Palermo Botanical Garden), founded in 1785, is the largest in Italy with a surface of 10 ha (25 acres).
One site of interest is the
in varying degrees of preservation.Close to the city is the 600 m-high (2,000 ft)
Another good panoramic viewpoint is the promontory of Monte Gallo (586 m; 1,923 ft), near Mondello Beach.[31]
Moreton Bay fig of >30 m girth and of 32m height can be found on the Piazza Marina. This Ficus macrophylla is most probably the thickest tree in Europe.[32]
On the boulevard
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Demographics
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1861 | 199,911 | — |
1871 | 223,689 | +11.9% |
1881 | 244,898 | +9.5% |
1901 | 309,566 | +26.4% |
1911 | 339,465 | +9.7% |
1921 | 397,486 | +17.1% |
1931 | 379,905 | −4.4% |
1936 | 411,879 | +8.4% |
1951 | 490,692 | +19.1% |
1961 | 587,985 | +19.8% |
1971 | 642,814 | +9.3% |
1981 | 701,782 | +9.2% |
1991 | 698,556 | −0.5% |
2001 | 686,722 | −1.7% |
2011 | 657,561 | −4.2% |
2021 | 635,439 | −3.4% |
Source: ISTAT |
In 2010, there were 1.2 million people living in the greater Palermo area, 655,875 of which resided in the City boundaries, of whom 47.4% were male and 52.6% were female. People under age 15 totalled 15.6% compared to pensioners who composed 17.2% of the population. This compares with the Italian average of 14.1% people under 15 years and 20.2% pensioners. The average age of a Palermo resident is 40.4 compared to the Italian average of 42.8. In the ten years between 2001 and 2010, the population of Palermo declined by 4.5%, while the population of Italy, as a whole, grew by 6.0%. The reason for Palermo's decline is a population flight to the suburbs, and to Northern Italy.[41] The current birth rate of Palermo is 10.2 births per 1,000 inhabitants compared to the Italian average of 9.3 births.
As of 2006[update], 97.79% of the population was of Italian descent. The largest immigrant group came from South Asia (mostly from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (Mostly Tamils)): 0.80%, other European countries (mostly from Albania, Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia and Ukraine): 0.3%, and North Africa (mostly from Tunisia and Morocco): 0.28%.[42]
Country of birth | Population |
---|---|
Bangladesh | 5,296 |
Sri Lanka | 3,394 |
Romania | 3,171 |
Ghana | 2,544 |
Philippines | 1,738 |
Tunisia | 1,048 |
Morocco | 1,014 |
China | 973 |
Mauritius | 856 |
Ivory Coast | 588 |
other countries | each <588 |
History
Early history
Evidence of
Antiquity
In the 8th c. BC the Phoenicians built a small settlement on the natural harbour of Palermo, which became known as Ziz[47] (Punic: 𐤑𐤉𐤑, ṢYṢ).[48] It became one of the three main Phoenician colonies of Sicily, along with Motya and Soluntum.
The first settlement was later known as Paleapolis meaning "Old City". The site chosen by the Phoenicians was connected to the mountains with two roads that today have become Via Cappuccini and Corso Pisani.[49]
The Neapolis or "New City", the nucleus of the subsequent expansion of the colony, soon developed in the area between the Paleapolis and the port. The new district expanded rapidly, exceeding the size of the old quarter, and soon became the site of markets, artisan and commercial activities. The walls were extended to embrace the new urban perimeter and two new gates ere made, while the old gate at the port was moved to make room for the new buildings. In total there were 4 gates, one on each side of the city. The walls followed the course of the two rivers that surround the city, the Kemonia and the Papireto, creating a natural moat and improving the military security of the city. During the Roman era they were reinforced.[50]
The Cassaro district was probably named after the walls themselves; the word Cassaro deriving from the Arab al-qaṣr (castle, stronghold, see also
In Roman times luxurious residences were built and have been found in several locations (piazza Sett'Angeli, Palazzo Sclafani, piazza della Vittoria).
Middle Ages
As the
Justinian I solidified his rule in the following years.[58][59]
The
After dynastic quarrels however, there was a Norman conquest in 1072. Normans conquered Palermo after a long siege. Indeed, the feat proved difficult because the Normans had never besieged such a populous city with such powerful walls. After 5 months siege, Normans built numerous stairs and war machines and finally conquered the city.[64] The family who returned the city to Christianity were called the Hautevilles, including Robert Guiscard and his army, who is regarded as a hero by the natives.[65][66] It was under his nephew Roger II of Sicily that Norman holdings in Sicily and the southern part of the Italian Peninsula were promoted from the County of Sicily into the Kingdom of Sicily. The kingdom's capital was Palermo, with the King's Court held at the Palazzo dei Normanni. Much construction was undertaken during this period, such as the building of Palermo Cathedral. The Kingdom of Sicily became one of the wealthiest states in Europe.[67]
Thanks to the marriage between Constance, Queen of Sicily, and Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor, Palermo and the whole Sicily was inherited by their son Frederick II, who became King of Sicily in 1198 and Holy Roman Emperor in 1220. Palermo was the capital of Emperor Frederick II’s vast empire and also his favorite city. Muslims of Palermo emigrated or were expelled during Frederick's rule. After an interval of Angevin rule (1266–1282), Sicily came under control of the Aragon and Barcelona dynasties. By 1330, Palermo's population had declined to 51,000.[68]
Early modern era
From 1479 until 1713 Palermo was ruled by the
Two Sicilies
After the
When the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was founded, the original capital city was Palermo (1816) but a year later moved to Naples.
From 1820 to 1848 Sicily was shaken by upheavals, which culminated on 12 January 1848, with a
Italian unification
The majority of
The second world war
During the
Italian Republic and today
In 1946 the city was declared the seat of the Regional Parliament, as capital of a Special Status Region (1947) whose seat is in the Palazzo dei Normanni.
A theme in the city's modern age has been the struggle against the Sicilian Mafia, Red Brigades and outlaws such as Salvatore Giuliano, who controlled the neighbouring area of Montelepre. The Italian state effectively has had to share control of the territory, economically and administratively, with the Mafia.
The "Sack of Palermo" was one of the dramatic consequences of this problem. This popular term refers to the speculative building practices that resulted in the destruction of a great number of historical buildings and green areas in favour of poor buildings, mainly between the 1950s and the 1980s.[74] The reduced importance of agriculture in the Sicilian economy has led to a massive migration to the cities, especially Palermo, which swelled in size, leading to rapid expansion towards the north. The regulatory plans for expansion was largely ignored in the boom. New parts of town appeared almost out of nowhere, but without parks, schools, public buildings, proper roads and the other amenities that characterise a modern city.
The Cosa Nostra has traditionally been the most powerful group in Palermo.[75] A CNN article in July 2019 indicated that Sicilian Mafia activity in Palermo was particularly notorious in one area: the town of Passo Rigano. "According to Italian police, the Mafia not only engages in extortion there, but also has a large role in the town's legal economy – with its involvement in business such as wholesale food supplies, online betting and gambling." The police investigation at the time also confirmed strong links between the Palermo area mafia and American organized crime, particularly the Gambino crime family.[76] According to La Repubblica, "Off they go, through the streets of Passo di Rigano, Boccadifalco, Torretta and at the same time, Brooklyn, Staten Island, New Jersey. Because from Sicily to the US, the old mafia has returned".[77]
Culture
Religion
Patron saints
The patron saint of Palermo is Saint Rosalia, who is widely revered.
On 14 July, people in Palermo celebrate the annual Festino, the most important religious event of the year. The Festino is a procession that goes through the main street of Palermo to commemorate the miracle attributed to Saint Rosalia who, it is believed, freed the city from the Black Death in 1624. Her remains were discovered in a cave on Monte Pellegrino, and her remains were carried around the city three times, banishing the plague. There is a sanctuary marking the spot where her remains were found which can be reached via a scenic bus ride from the city.
Before 1624 Palermo had four
Saint Lucy is also honoured with a celebration on 13 December, during which the 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. This commemorates the saving of the city from famine due to a miracle attributed to Saint Lucy; A ship full of grain mysteriously arrived in the city's harbour and the hungry population wasted no time in making flour but ate the grain as it arrived.
The ancient patron of the city was the Genius of Palermo, genius loci and numen protector of the place, that became the secular patron of the modern Palermo.[78]
Sports
Palermo hosts a professional football team,
The Targa Florio was an open road endurance car race held near Palermo. 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. Palermo was home to the grand depart of the 2008 Giro d'Italia. The initial stage was a 28.5 km-long (17.7 mi) TTT (Team Time Trial).
The
The american football team is Eagles United Palermo and it plays in stadium of Carini.
City emblems
Flag
The flag of Palermo is similar to that of the autonomous region of Sicily, but with a different arrangement of colours. The flag displayed on the Palazzo Pretorio, the town hall, has no coat of arms. However, versions with coats of arms of variable appearance in the center have been observed; for example, around the 1950s or 1960s the flag bore the civic coat of arms form Il Blasone in Sicilia.[79]
-
Flag
-
Another flag in use
Coat of arms
The coat of arms consists of a shield with a red background, stamped by the crown of the city, in the center of which there is a gold-colored eagle with open wings holding in its claws the legend bearing the initials "S.P.Q.P.".[80]
-
Coat of arms from Il Blasone in Sicilia (1871–1875)
-
Another coat of arms from Il Blasone in Sicilia (1871–1875)
-
Coat of arms used between 1891 and 1999
-
Coat of arms with the chief of the lictor, according to the official decree of recognition of 1942
-
Coat of arms in use since 1999
Economy and infrastructure
As Sicily's administrative capital, Palermo is a centre for much of the region's finance, tourism and commerce. The city currently hosts an international airport,[81] and Palermo's economic growth over the years has brought the opening of many new businesses. The economy mainly relies on tourism and services, but also has commerce, shipbuilding and agriculture.[82] The city, however, still has high unemployment levels, high corruption and a significant black market empire (Palermo being the home of the Sicilian Mafia).
Public transport
Palermo has a local railway called the Palermo metropolitan railway service.[83]
Buses
Palermo's public bus system is operated by AMAT[84] which covers a net area of 340 km (211 mi). About 90 different routes reach every part of the city.[85]
Trams
Palermo has a public tram system finalized in 2015 and operated by AMAT. There are 4 lines:
- Roccella — Central Station
- Borgo Nuovo — Notarbartolo Station
- CEP — Notarbartolo Station
- Corso Calatafimi — Notarbartolo Station
Coaches
The local coach company, AST,[86] with its coaches totalling 35 lines, links Palermo to all of the main cities in Sicily.
Palermo Public Transportation Statistics
The average amount of time people spend commuting with public transit in Palermo, for example to and from work, on a weekday is 63 min. 14.% of public transit riders, ride for more than 2 hours every day. The average amount of time people wait at a stop or station for public transit is 23 min, while 48% of riders wait for over 20 minutes on average every day. The average distance people usually ride in a single trip with public transit is 4.4 km, while 3% travel for over 12 km in a single direction.[87]
Roads
Palermo is a key intersection on the Sicilian road network, being the junction between the eastern
Airports
The airport's rail facility, known as
Port
The
National rail
The main railway station of Palermo is
Education
The local university is the University of Palermo, the island's second oldest university. It was officially founded in 1806, although historical records indicate that medicine and law have been taught there since the late 15th century. The Orto botanico di Palermo (Palermo botanical gardens) is home to the university's Department of Botany and is also open to visitors.
International relations
Twin towns – sister cities
Palermo is twinned with:[89][90][91]
- Bizerte, Tunisia
- Bukavu, DR of the Congo
- Chengdu, China
- Düsseldorf, Germany
- Grand-Bassam, Ivory Coast
- Hanoi, Vietnam
- Khan Yunis, Palestine
- Miami, United States
- Monterey, United States
- Montpellier, France
- Ottawa, Canada
- Palermo, Argentina
- Palermo, Colombia
- Pistoia, Italy
- Samara, Russia
- Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
- Sestu, Italy
- Tbilisi, Georgia
- Timișoara, Romania
- Valletta, Malta
- Yaroslavl, Russia
- Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana
Notable people
- Eleonora Abbagnato (born 1978), ballet dancer
- Simonetta Agnello Hornby (born 1945), writer
- Emerico Amari (1810–1870), politician
- Roberto Andò (born 1959), film director
- Lucio Maria Attinelli (born 1933), journalist and writer
- Aldo Baglio (born 1958), actor
- Pietro Ballo (born 1952), tenor
- Mario Balotelli (born 1990), footballer
- Mario Bardi (1922–1998), painter
- Ernesto Basile (1857–1932), architect
- Letizia Battaglia (1935–2022), photographer, photojournalist and politician
- Francesco Benigno (born 1967), actor
- Alfredo Bordonali (born 1919), football player
- Paolo Borsellino (1940–1992), judge
- Luigi Maria Burruano (1948-2017), actor
- Tommaso Buscetta (1928–2000), member and notable pentito of the Sicilian Mafia
- Lando Buzzanca (1935–2022), actor
- magician (paranormal) and adventurer
- Phil Caliva (born 1945), American racing driver
- Stanislao Cannizzaro (1826–1910), chemist
- Bruno Caruso (1927–2018), painter, illustrator, graphic designer and political activist
- Marco Cecchinato (born 1992), tennis player
- Daniele Ciprì (born 1962), film director
- Max Crivello (born 1958), illustrator and painter
- Salvatore Di Vittorio (born 1967), composer and conductor
- Giovanni Falcone (1939–1992), judge
- Salvatore Ficarra (born 1971), actor
- Luca Flores (1956-1995), pianist and composer
- Vincenzo Florio (1883–1959), entrepreneur, heir of the rich Florio economic dynasty, founder of the Targa Florio
- Corrado Fortuna (born 1978), actor
- Franco Franchi (1928–1992), actor
- Pia Giancaro (born 1950), Italian retired actress
- Claudio Gioè (born 1975), actor
- Filippa Giordano (born 1974), singer
- Laura Giordano (born 1979), lyric soprano
- Marco Glaviano (born 1942), photographer and architet
- Libero Grassi (1924–1991), businessman
- Ciccio Ingrassia (1922–2003), actor
- Beniamino Iraci (born 1989), professional football player
- Ugo La Malfa (1903–1979), politician
- Luigi Lo Cascio (born 1967), actor
- Rosalia Lombardo (1918–1920), known as the Sleeping Beauty
- Louise of Orléans (1812–1850), Queen of The Belgians
- Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies (1806–1878), Queen of Spain
- Filippo Mancuso (1922–2011), magistrate and Italian Minister of Justice
- Franco Maresco (born 1958), film director
- Sergio Mattarella (born 1941), president of Italy
- Giovanni Meli (1740–1815), poet and playwright
- Silvio Micali (born 1954), computer scientist
- Gabriele Minì (born 2005), racing driver
- Vittorio Emanuele Orlando (1860–1952), Prime Minister of Italy
- Sophia Petrillo (born 1905), character on The Golden Girls
- Valentino Picone (born 1971), actor
- Pif (television host) (born 1972), actor and film director
- Amelia Pinto (1876–1946), opera singer
- Giuseppe Pitrè (1841-1916), folklorist, medical doctor, professor and senator
- Eva Riccobono (born 1983), model
- Antonio Rinaldi (1709–1794), architect
- Gianni Riotta (born 1954), journalist
- Giuni Russo (1951–2004), singer
- Alfredo Salafia (1869–1933), embalmer and taxidermist
- Pietro Scaglione (1906–1971), magistrate
- Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725), composer
- Renato Schifani (born 1950), President of the Senate
- Salvatore Schillaci (born 1964), footballer
- Francesco Scianna (born 1982), actor
- Enzo Sellerio (1924–2012), photographer, publisher and collector
- Giacomo Serpotta (1656–1732), sculptor
- Giuseppe Serpotta (1653–1719), sculptor
- Tony Sperandeo (born 1953), actor
- Antonio Starabba, Marchese di Rudinì (1839–1908), Prime Minister of Italy
- Gaetano Starrabba (born 1932), racing driver
- Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa (1896–1957), writer
- Nino Vaccarella (1933–2021), racing driver
- Delia Vaccarello (1960–2019), journalist and activist for LGBT rights
- Fulco di Verdura (1898–1978), duke and jeweller
Honorary citizens
People awarded the honorary citizenship of Palermo are:
Date | Name | Notes |
---|---|---|
17 May 1996 | Tenzin Gyatso
|
The 14th Dalai Lama |
14 December 2015 | Abdullah Öcalan[92] | Founder of Kurdistan Workers' Party |
21 August 2018 | Albert II, Prince of Monaco | Prince of Monaco[93][94] |
See also
Notes
- Arabic: بَلَرْم, romanized: Balarm.
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External links
- Official website (in Italian)
- Tourist Information Centre
- Palermo Tourist Board
- Palermo Coupon
- Things to do in Palermo
- Palermo capitale italiana della cultura 2018 Archived 15 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine