Palermo

Palermo is the capital of Sicily, and even the airport has great views.

The Teatro Politeama opened in 1874.

The Teatro Massimo is Italy's largest opera house. It opened in 1897.

The Church of Santa Maria della Catena, built between 1490-1520, had a chain (catena) mounted to it to close Palermo's Cala port.

Sicilian puppets originated in 13th century to portray Frankish romantic poetry in theaters.

Arancini: Palermo's greatest food. These ones are from Touring Bar.

A cart made for a religious festival

Palermo: Also has excellent restaurants

The oldest tree in Palermo

The Martorana, to the left, was built in 1153. To the right is 12th century Church of San Cataldo.

The Martorana Cathedral has Byzantine influence present, like this mosaic.

Arabs ruled Sicily during the 900s; their influence is also present.

The Cathedral now belongs to the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church

The Quattro Canti is where Palermo's two old major streets converged. The Spanish, who ruled Sicily from the 13th to 18th centuries, built this square.

Victor Emmanuel Street runs from the Norman Palace to the port.

A statue of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor

Secluded palazzos line the busy main streets.

Palermo Cathedral was built in 1185.

Saint Roasalia is the patron saint of Palermo.

Ancient Roman sarcophagi were repurposed for burial of important Catholic notables leaders in Palermo.

Come through the doors

Gryphons are a popular symbol in Palermo.

The crown of Constance of Aragon, Queen of Sicily and Holy Roman Empress in the 1200s.

A strange Adam and Eve baptismal font

The tomb of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor

This is what he looked like when his sarcophagus was opened in 1998.

One must walk all the way around Palermo Cathedral to truly appreciate it.

A brightly colored battle scene on a traditional Sicilian cart

Just another great meal in Sicily, lightly fried cheese at La Galleria.

The Norman Palace was originally built by the Arabs, who transferred the capital of Sicily from Syracuse to Palermo. They built it on top of ancient Punic ruins. The Normans enlarged the palace when the conquered Sicily.

A tombstone from 1149 inscribed with four languages: Arabic, Greek, Latin, and Hebrew

An example of a Fatimid influenced Muqarnas ceiling

Frederick II added the Palatine Chapel to the Palace.

The Chinese Hall was built in 1835 by the Spanish Bourbons.

More excellent mosaics found in the Palace

The Porta Nuova, built in 1570

The walls of the Capuchin Catacombs are lined with dressed dead from the 1800s. Historic, but very macabre.

Il Mercato delle Pulci is a street lined with run down antique stores. Trees were growing through some of the establishments.

Oh my.

A spleen sandwich, a Palermo worker's classic, from Antica Focacceria San Francesco.

The Palermo Archeological Museum has some great turtles.

The Sarcophagus of Cannita, a Phoenician sarcophagus from the 5th century B.C.

An Athenian decree unearthed by Robert Fagan. Fagan was a British adventurer in the 1700s and 1800s who unearthed many archeological finds in Italy. After he killed himself in Rome to escape his debt, Palermo seized his archeological collection to prevent more of it from being sold to private collectors.

Items from an ancient Greek necropolis located near Palermo.

A woman (Caeneus) who changed herself into a man to avoid sleeping with Poseidon being beaten by Centaurs. Who doesn't love Greek mythology.

Metopa from a temple near Palermo

Actaeon being torn apart by dogs for seeing Artemis naked.

Remnants from a Medusa adorning an ancient Greek temple

Monte Pellegrino

Palermo's seaside

Horses in Palermo wear handsome hats.

A great Sicilian soda