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Palermo, about 15 km far from the School, is a city of hundred faces, can be considered the synthesis of all dominations which, through the centuries, came across our island. A dazzling city with splendid churches and lavish palaces (the Cathedral, the Martorana, the Magione and even the Royal Palace with its jewel, la Cappella Palatina; and last but not least, the palaces of Zisa and Cuba, residences used by the Norman kings for recreation and relaxation .).
At the end of the 16th century, Palermo gained monumental recognition and assumed a fundamental role in history when it became Palermo the capital of the Spanish vice-reign (Piazza Pretoria with its imposing marble fountain and the historical entrances to the town: Porta Felice, Porta Nuova.).
The 17th century, considered the Baroque Age, found in Sicily, the best adapted site to express its unique style: filled with rich decoration and chromatic sensibility. The Baroque Palermo of "Quattro Canti", of noble palaces that serve as a testament to the power and the unimaginable wealth of the patrician class and of world-renowned artists such as Giacomo Serpotta and Paolo Amato.
And finally the Palermo that witnessed, from 1800 until 1900, the flowering of the Sicilian Liberty style, thanks to the prestigious architect Ernesto Basile, who conceived the "floral style" which was to make Palermo a famous artistic and cultural centre.
However, Palermo is not just art and history. It is impossible to list the innumerable feasts and traditions, from the "festino" of Santa Rosalia to the catching of swordfish and the "rite" of the mattanza: a vital city, sea, superb food (pasta with sardines, cassata, cannoli...), antique traditions and religious festivals....
a tangle of magic and superstition that will leave you with...
.unforgettable emotions !
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