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ART AND MUSEUMS |
  
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| Palermo, city of art: this is not just a slogan, but a way of getting to know an artistic heritage that is one of the most important in Italy. The old town centre is one of the largest in Europe, full of references to the past. The town and territory are enhanced with museums, art galleries, sumptuous villas and imposing eighteenth-century palaces and beautiful Art Nouveau buildings which identify the province of Palermo as a true cradle of Mediterranean culture. Byzantine influence can be seen, followed by Arab, Norman ad Spanish: all these dominations made their own contribution to the history of art, costumes, customs and traditions. The most famous monuments include the Cathedrals of Palermo and Monreale, the Church of the Martorana, San Giovanni degli Eremiti and the Norman Palace with its precious Palatine Chapel, but there are also the National Gallery of Sicily in Palazzo Abatellis, in the heart of old Palermo, the National Archaeological Museum in Piazza Olivella, the "Pitré" Ethnographic Museum in the park of the Favorita, the Natural History Museum at Terrasini, the Museum of the Madonie at Geraci Siculo and the Gallery of Modern Art in the Politeama Theatre. It would be a really difficult task to list all the interesting mediaeval and Baroque churches in Palermo and its province. The Casa Professa (or Church of Jesus) is one of the most opulent and elegant of the early Baroque period, while other examples of Palermo Baroque style are to be seen in the churches of San Giuseppe dei Teatini, San Matteo and Santa Caterina. The Church of Sant'Anna with its monumental façade stands in front of the magnificent Palazzo Ganci where Luchino Visconti shot his famous film "The Leopard". There are other places of architectural interest in Palermo, such as the Piazza Pretoria or the two monumental gates at either end of Corso Vittorio Emanuele: Porta Felice and the triumphal Porta Nuova, built in 1535 in honour of Charles V. In the Foro Italico there is the Botanical Garden which is internationally famous on account of the rich variety of species kept there, especially exotic ones. Other almost hidden treasures in Palermo are the Castello della Tavara and the Cuba, a palace built in 1180 and recently opened to the public. No visitor to Palermo should fail to visit the Catacombs of the Cappuccini which made such a great impression on Guy de Maupassant during his long journey in Sicily.
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