Palermo – Centro Storico

<< Palermo

Centro Storico is the oldest part of Palermo and includes the most historic neighborhoods of the city. This area hosts many of the most famous tourist attractions of Palermo, which date from the Phoenicians origins of the city until the 18th century.

✪ Palazzo dei Normanni

Also known as: Royal Palace of Palermo (Palazzo Reale di Palermo)

Palazzo dei Normanni is a large palace at the western end of the historic center of Palermo. While the first fortifications here were built by the Phoenicians and were expanded several times, the current building was erected by the Normans in the 12th century, and became a royal residence. For centuries it remained an administrative center, and it was expanded several times. The most important addition is the Palatine Chapel (Cappella Palatina), built in the 12th century and adorned with numerous breathtaking artworks. Among these are a series of gold mosaics and various intricate muqarnas, a typical feature of Islamic architecture. Palazzo dei Normanni also features numerous other decorated halls, and houses the Palermo Astronomical Observatory (Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo). The palace is surrounded by gardens, and the square in front of it features a large 17th-century monument known as Teatro Marmoreo. At the northern end of the palace is Porta Nuova, a decorated city gate built in the 17th century. Palazzo dei Normanni is now the seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

✪ Palermo Cathedral

The Palermo Cathedral is the main church in the city, and a large religious complex. Erected on the site of a previous Byzantine basilica and a mosque, construction began in the 12th century, and was completed over the course of several centuries, with many new additions. The church now features a complex blend of styles, with Byzantine, Norman, Romanesque, Islamic, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical elements. The facade and the external walls feature many elaborate decorations, while several artworks adorn the interior. The cathedral also houses the monumental tombs of several kings of Sicily, including Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II. The church is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

✪ Church of the Martorana

Also known as: Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio

The Church of the Martorana is an ancient church in the center of Palermo, located on Piazza Bellini. Built in the 12th century, the church had several additions and was reworked a few times. Now it features a blend of Norman, Arab, Byzantine, and Baroque style and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The interior of the church is adorned with numerous beautiful mosaics made in Byzantine style in the 12th century, and also features various other artworks and decorations.

✪ Regional Gallery of Sicily

The Regional Gallery of Sicily (Galleria Regionale della Sicilia) is an art museum hosted in the 15th-century Palazzo Abatellis in Palermo. Its collection includes numerous artworks by Italian and foreign artists, mostly dating from the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, including the famous Virgin Annunciate (Annunciata di Palermo) by Antonello da Messina.

✪ Antonino Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum

The Antonino Salinas Regional Archaeological Museum (Museo Archeologico Regionale Antonino Salinas) is one of the most important archaeological museums in Italy, located in the center of Palermo. Its huge collection includes countless findings that date from prehistory to the Middle Ages, with pieces of Phoenician, Carthaginian, Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan, Roman, and Byzantine art. The museum showcases the ancient history of Sicily and houses numerous notable artworks. Next to the museum is the Church of Sant’Ignazio all’Olivella, a Baroque church built in the 17th century.

Palazzo Arcivescovile

Palazzo Arcivescovile is a large Renaissance palace adjacent to the Palermo Cathedral. The palace has numerous frescoed halls, and houses the Diocesan Museum of Palermo (Museo Diocesano di Palermo). This museum hosts several religious artworks spanning various centuries.

Church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti

The Church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti is a 12th-century church located near Palazzo dei Normanni in Palermo. This is one of the finest examples of Arab-Norman architecture in the city, known for its beautiful red domes, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The church is part of an ancient monastery, and features a cloister adorned with a garden.

Gaetano Giorgio Gemmellaro Museum of Paleontology and Geology

The Gaetano Giorgio Gemmellaro Museum of Paleontology and Geology (Museo di Paleontologia e Geologia Gaetano Giorgio Gemmellaro) is a museum of natural history in the center of Palermo. Its rich collection includes numerous interesting rocks and crystals, as well as several fossils, including the skeletons of prehistoric elephants.

Church of Carmine Maggiore

The Church of Carmine Maggiore is a 17th-century Baroque church in Palermo, which was built over a previous religious site. The interior of the church is adorned with several elaborate statues and decorations, as well as numerous other artworks.

Church of the Assunta

The Church of the Assunta is a Baroque church in the center of Palermo, built in the 17th century. The church is known for hosting a large series of elaborate stucco decorations, but it also includes several other artworks, including various frescoes.

Church of the Gesù

Also known as: Casa Professa

The Church of the Gesù is a Baroque church in the center of Palermo, built between the 16th and 17th century. The church was later expanded, and was rebuilt after being damaged during World War II. Inside, it features various frescoes and other artworks.

Contemporary Art Museum of Sicily

The Contemporary Art Museum of Sicily (Museo d’Arte Contemporanea della Sicilia) is an art museum hosted in the 18th-century Palazzo Riso in Palermo. The museum houses numerous artworks by artists from the 20th and 21st century, showcasing both Italian and international art.

Oratory of San Giuseppe dei Falegnami

The Oratory of San Giuseppe dei Falegnami is a small Baroque chapel located near Piazza Bellini in Palermo. Built in the 17th century, the oratory features various eleborate stucco decorations, as well as other artworks and some ancient furnishings.

Church of San Cataldo

The Church of San Cataldo is a historic church located next to the Church of the Martorana on Piazza Bellini in Palermo. The church was erected in the 12th century in Arab-Norman style, and it is one of the most notable examples of this kind of architecture. The interior is austere, but also features some medieval decorations. The church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Church of Santa Caterina d’Alessandria

The Church of Santa Caterina d’Alessandria is a historic church in Palermo, located between Piazza Bellini and Piazza Pretoria. The church was built in the late 16th century to replace a previous religious site, and it is decorated in typical Sicilian Baroque style. Inside, it is richly adorned with elaborate frescoes, decorations, statues, and other artworks.

Piazza Pretoria

Piazza Pretoria is a square in the center of Palermo surrounded by historic buildings. The square is dominated by the Fontana Pretoria, an elaborate 16th-century fountain adorned with numerous statues. Originally built in Florence in 1554, it was sold, transferred, and reassembled in Palermo in 1574. The southern side of the square hosts the Palazzo Pretorio, a historic palace that serves as the city hall of Palermo.

Quattro Canti

Also known as: Piazza Vigliena

Quattro Canti is a square in the old town of Palermo, often regarded as the center of the historic neighborhoods of the city. Built in the 17th century, this square is surrounded by decorated Baroque buildings adorned with statues. The Baroque Church of San Giuseppe dei Teatini faces this square and also hosts several elaborate artworks and decorations.

Church of San Matteo al Cassaro

The Church of San Matteo al Cassaro is a 17th-century church in the center of Palermo. The church features an elaborate facade, while the interior is richly adorned with beautiful statues, paintings, frescoes, and other decorations.

Modern Art Gallery of Palermo

The Modern Art Gallery of Palermo (Galleria d’Arte Moderna di Palermo) is a rich art museum in Palermo. Its collection includes numerous paintings from the 19th and 20th century mostly by artists from Sicily and Southern Italy. The museum is hosted in the 15th-century Palazzo Bonet and the adjacent Church of Sant’Anna la Misericordia, built in Baroque style during the 17th century.

Stanze al Genio Maiolica Museum

The Stanze al Genio Maiolica Museum (Museo delle Maioliche Stanze al Genio) is a museum hosted in a historic palace in Palermo. Its collection includes several pieces of ancient Italian maiolica spanning various centuries.

Basilica of Santissima Trinità del Cancelliere

Also known as: La Magione

The Basilica of Santissima Trinità del Cancelliere is a 12th-century church in Palermo, erected in Norman Romanesque and Gothic style. The church features a monumental brick structure, while the interior houses artworks spanning several centuries, including an elaborate 16th-century tabernacle.

Church of San Francesco d’Assisi

The Church of San Francesco d’Assisi is a 13th-century Gothic church in the center of Palermo. The church features a decorated facade with an elaborate rose window and a large and intricate portal. Inside, the church houses various artworks and decorations.

Oratory of San Lorenzo

The Oratory of San Lorenzo is a 16th-century Baroque oratory located next to the Church of San Francesco d’Assisi in Palermo. The interior is richly adorned with elaborate decorations and included the altarpiece Nativity with Saint Francis and Saint Lawrence (Natività con i Santi Lorenzo e Francesco d’Assisi) by Caravaggio. This painting was stolen in 1969 and was never recovered, so it was replaced by a replica. Adjacent to the Oratory of San Lorenzo is the Oratory of the Immacolatella, another richly decorated Baroque religious site, erected in the 18th century.

Palazzo Mirto

Palazzo Mirto is a historic 17th-century palace in Palermo, which was built on older structures dating to the 13th century. Inside, it houses various richly decorated halls with ancient furnishings and artworks.

Palazzo Chiaramonte-Steri

Palazzo Chiaramonte-Steri is a 14th-century Gothic palace in Palermo, that once served as residence of the viceroys of Sicily and later seat of the Holy Inquisition. Now restored, the palace houses the University of Palermo and a museum dedicated to local history. The palace faces Piazza Marina and a public park known as Giardino Garibaldi.

Antonio Pasqualino International Puppet Museum

The Antonio Pasqualino International Puppet Museum (Museo Internazionale delle Marionette Antonio Pasqualino) is a peculiar museum in Palermo, dedicated to the local traditional puppetry. The museum houses thousands of marionettes, puppets, and stage machines from all over the world, as well as the largest collection of pupi, traditional marionettes from Sicily and Southern Italy.

Church of Santa Maria della Catena

The Church of Santa Maria della Catena is a historic church located near the sea in Palermo. The church was built in Catalan Gothic style between the 15th and 16th century, and features a monumental facade. Inside, it houses various artworks.

Church of San Domenico

The Church of San Domenico is a large Baroque church in the center of Palermo. Founded in the 13th century, the church was rebuilt in the 15th century, while the current structure dates from the 17th and 18th century. The church is richly decorated, and houses the burial monuments of several notable Sicilians. Adjacent to the church is the elaborate Oratory of Rosario di San Domenico, made in Baroque style, and the complex also houses the Museum of the Risorgimento (Museo del Risorgimento), dedicated to local 19th-century history. The church faces Piazza San Domenico, a square adorned with the monumental Colonna dell’Immacolata, erected in 1631.

Church of Santa Maria di Valverde

The Church of Santa Maria di Valverde is a church in Palermo, built in Baroque style during the 17th century. While the exterior is pretty simple, inside the church is richly adorned with numerous elaborate Baroque decorations and several artworks.

Church of Santa Cita

The Church of Santa Cita is a Baroque church in Palermo, built between the 14th and 15th century. The church is adorned with several artworks and includes a crypt, but it is mostly famous thanks to the Oratory of the Rosario di Santa Cita. This Baroque oratory features an elaborate series of stucco decorations made between the 17th and 18th century by Giacomo Serpotta.

Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele

The Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele is a 19th-century theater in Palermo. This is the largest opera house in Italy, and the third largest in Europe, and it is adorned with Neoclassical elements. The interior is also richly decorated with numerous artworks.

Church of Sant’Agostino

The Church of Sant’Agostino is an ancient church in Palermo erected in the 13th century to replace a previous religious site. The church features a beautiful Gothic facade adorned with a large rose window and an elaborate portal. The interior is instead adorned with numerous Baroque artworks and decorations.

Church of Immacolata Concezione al Capo

The Church of Immacolata Concezione al Capo is a Baroque church in Palermo, erected between the 17th and 18th century. Its interior is richly adorned with numerous elaborate Baroque decorations and various other artworks. Next to the church is Porta Carini, an ancient city gate built in the Late Middle Ages and reworked in Neoclassical style in the 18th century.