Welcome to Palermo with class 3 E from Rosso di San Secondo school!

Palermo- fast facts

• Palermo is Sicily's cultural, economic and tourist capital.
• Palermo is located in the north west of Sicily, right by the Gulf of Palermo in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
• It’s a big city with a population of about 860,000 people, while its metropolitan area is the fifth most populated in Italy with around 1.2 million people.
• Palermo has a very ancient history. It was founded by the Phoenicians in 734 BC.
• Because of its position, many different people ruled Palermo during the ages.
• It was ruled by the Greeks, the Carthaginians, the Romans, the Goths and the Byzantines.
• Later the Arabs captured Palermo, and it became the capital of the Independent Emirate of Sicily.
• In 1072 the Normans took over Palermo and it became the capital of a new kingdom (from 1130 to 1816), the Kingdom of Sicily.
• Then English, Spanish, French and Germanic kings ruled Palermo.
• All these people left great traces of their rule on the culture, architecture and historical sites of this extraordinary city.
• Tourists love Palermo because of its pleasant Mediterranean weather (in winter the temperature is about 15° C and in summer the temperature is about 32° C), its Arab, Byzantine, Norman ,Romanesque and Baroque churches and historical buildings and its delicious food.
  
  

  Welcome to Palermo, the biggest city in Sicily and one of the largest in Italy!

  Class 3 E’s trip to Palermo
  
  
  On May 10^th we Class 3 E from “Rosso di San Secondo” in Caltanissetta, took a coach, together with three teachers, to go to Palermo. This trip was part of our eTwinning Project with Sääksjärvi Primary school in Mäntsälä, Finland.
  
  
  Come with us! We’ll be your guides: we’ll tell you the history of this ancient and magnificent city and show you some of Palermo’s most important buildings.
  

  
  

  
  
  1. Here we are on the coach and we’re going to Palermo
  

  

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  Just arrived in Palermo
  
  
  2.Some students tell the history of Palermo (see fast facts)
    
  

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  3. The Norman Palace (Palazzo dei Normanni) is located in the heart of the original town.  In the 9^th century  the Arab emirs built this majestic building. Later the Normans transformed it into luxurious palace.  There is a spectacular Palatine Chapel inside, which was also built by the Normans. The Norman Palace has been the seat of the Regional Sicilian Assembly since 1947.
  

  
  

  

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  The Royal Palatine Chapel (Cappella Palatina) is the royal chapel of the Norman kings of Sicily and it is situated at the centre of the Royal Palace in Palermo. The chapel was built by Roger II of Sicily in 1132. It contains mosaics works and fine art.
  

  

  
  
  
  
  Class 3 E in front of the Royal Palace
  
  
  
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  4 Orleans Palace This is the house and garden in which Louis Philippe d’Orléans, the future king of France, lived in exile from 1810 to 1814. Today, it is used by the Sicilian Regional authorities.
  
  
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  5 New Gate (Porta Nuova ) was built under Charles V, the Porta New Gate is still the main entrance to the city centre from the west. This magnificent gateway was built in 1535 and renewed in 1681 after being struck by a lightening. It was built to celebrate King Charles V victory at Tunis in Africa.
  
  
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  6 The Cathedral – Palermo’s Cathedral is an imposing building. It was built in the late 12^th century in the Sicilian Norman style, but it has undergone considerable alteration over the centuries. Inside, there are the tombs of members of the Swabian royal family: Frederick II, his wife Constanza of Aragon, Henry IV and Roger II .
  
  
  
  
  3E in front of the Cathedral
  
  
  The entrance to the Cathedral
  
  
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  7  Praetorian Square:The Fountain and Praetorian Palace At the centre of this lovely piazza is a spectacular fountain, which was built in the 1500s. There are centric circles with statues of gods and goddesses, nymphs, monsters, animals’ heads, allegories, ornamental staircases and balustrades. This fountain is a kind of Mount Olympus. In the square we can also see Palazzo Pretorio. Probably it dates from the 1300s. Since then, it has been the seat of the City Council . 
  
  
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  8 San Cataldo ‘s Church is a typical example of the Arabian - Norman architecture, which is unique to Sicily. It has a rectangular plan with blind arches. The ceiling has three characteristics red, bulge domes and Arab-style merlons which give the place an exotic feel.
  
  
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  9 . St.Mary of the Admiral (or “The Martorana”). This church was founded in 1143. The linearity of the Norman original is unfortunately concealed behind the Baroque façade. Mass is celebrated according to the Greek Orthodox dogma in this church.
  
  
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  10 Bellini’s Square– This small square has three churches: Santa Caterina, La Martorana and San Cataldo with its three red domes gives the place an eastern feel.
  
  
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  11 The Massimo Theatre (Teatro Massimo ) This opera-house is the biggest in Italy, and one of the largest of Europe and it is well known for its perfect acoustics. It was completed in 1897. The auditorium was planned for 3,000 people, but today it can host about 1500 spectators.
  
  
  
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  12 The Politeama Theatre – The Politeama Theatre is as imposing and built in the same Neo-Classical style as the Teatro Massimo. Its façade is dominated by a quadriga with bronze horses. It was built in 1891.There are 5000 seats in it.
  
  
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  13 Palermo’s Port. The harbor has an important part in the history of Palermo . The name Palermo comes from the Greek Panormus which means “all port”. Today it is one of the biggest ports in Italy .
  
  
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  Palermo harbour
  
  Relaxing by the sea with our English teacher.
  
  
  
  
  Having lunch at McDonalds