Palermo ( Sicilian Palermu in ) is a Italian city, more the big city of the Sicily with 720.000 inhabitants. It is located in a bay on the Northern coast of the island. It is the capital of the area “Sicily”.

History

Antiquity

The city is founded in the neighborhoods of eighth century BC by commercial Phéniciens in a natural port. During the First Punic War, Palermo is an important bastion for Carthage until it is conquered by the Romains in 245 av. J. - C.

The Latin name of Palermo was Panormus . Under the emperor Auguste, Roman legionaries are stationed in the city. Sicily was in the Antiquité an island where the dominant language was the old Greek , in particular on the part is. Palermo was located at the border with the zone where the Greek was spoken. When the Vandales found their empire in 429 with current the Tunisia like center, Sicily is several times invaded and the Vandals try to annex it definitively.

The Middle Ages

In 535, the city again passes to the hands Romans (of the East) and under the Byzantine Empire, Palermo knows during two hundred years one period florrissante.

During the 9th century it passes under the domination of the Moslems. It becomes the capital of the island then. The Arabisation and Islamization were all the more radical as an important Berber immigration followed the famines which devastated the North Africa of 1004 to 1040. Palermo will remain Moslem of 831 with 1071 and the Moslem influence of this time is still visible in the architecture of the city.

Under the Norman (starting from 1072), other monuments out of the commun run are built. Roger II of Sicily establishes a court, where it makes work Arab scientists, like the Géographe Al-Idrisi, which establishes a map of the world synthesizing the knowledge Cartographique of the time.

In 1194, Palermo passes under the command of the Hohenstaufen and Frederic II transforms the city into a sumptuous place of residence. Palermo sees its cultural life bubbling, Frederic II maintaining osmosis between different the cultures Greek, Moslem and Latin.

One of the notable events of the Moyen-âge occurred on the island were the Sicilian Vêpres. In 1282, of the French of Sicily were massacred by the inhabitants at the time of a revolt. Thus with Palermo, 2  000 French found death at the time of this bloody Passover. In all, they are at least 10  000 French who were massacred.

Modern times and contemporary time

Thereafter, the city was occupied by the Aragonese, the Autrichiens and the Bourbons. Under the Spaniards, the population passed from 30.000 inhabitants in the middle of the 15th century to 135.000 the day before the plague of 1656. 16th and 17th centuries, Palermo avoids many monuments of style Baroque of which much is still intact nowadays. In 1648 bursts a riot of the hunger: the craftsmen obtain new privileges.

The Bourbons link Sicily with the kingdom of Naples in 1734, Palermo becomes right a provincial town, the royal court being in Naples. The city and its palates fall in disuse. The January 12th 1848, Palermo is the scene of the first revolutionary upheavals of Europe and holds head at Neapolitan the until May 1849.

In 1860, Giuseppe Garibaldi arrives at Palermo and manages to annex it as well as the whole of Sicily to the Royaume of Italy, lately unified. It was the occasion of one second chance. Palermo is again the administrative center of Sicily and a certain industrial development and economic is born, constant by the Florio family. At the beginning of the 20th century, Palermo starts to extend apart from the walls from the city, towards north especially along the new boulevard, it Via della Libertà. On the avenue many villas of style Art nouveau are built, of which some are of the architect Ernesto Basile.

Palermo survives the fascistic occupation without undergoing damage but the invasion of Alliés of Sicily in July 1943 is accompanied by massive bombardments which completely destroy the surrounding port and its districts. Sixty years later, the center town is not yet completely rebuilt and the destroyed buildings belong to the landscape.

In 1947, Sicily becomes an autonomous region and Palermo is again the seat of the Parliament. Its prospects for the future seem to be under the best auspices but the Mafia seized the island and the city must face enormous problems. Courageous examining magistrates like Giovanni Falcone or Paolo Borsellino became martyrdoms of resistance. The international airport of Palermo was famous airport Falcone-Borsellino in the honor of these two judges. Under the mayor “anti-Maffia” Leoluca Orlando, the city knew a rapid growth.

Although the city develops in a rather anarchistic way towards north and that poverty extends to it, Palermo remains a city with three millenia of history behind it, splendid de luxe hotels and churches, of the markets rich color, a fabulous kitchen and a single cultural variety.

Economy

Being the capital of Sicily, the tertiary sector and in particular administrative is strongly developed there. Palermo knows also a good tourist multitude, because of its climate and of the richness of its artistic inheritance.

The GDP (Gross domestic product) of Sicily reaches 67 073,3 million Euros. On the whole, industry takes part in the gross domestic product of Sicily almost as much as agriculture. The number of companies amounts to 234.623.

The island has rich and fertile grounds (volcanic and/or argilo-limestones). Agriculture (wine, olive oil, vegetables, corn, almonds, grenades, citrus fruits, and papyrus*), sector accounting for 10% of the credits, keeps a weight determining in the sicilian economy. Nearly 1.734.200 hectares of ground are cultivated. The vegetables and the early products are the cultures with more high added value. Currently, the only place in Europe where one can find papyrus with the Egyptian woman, it is in Syracuse in Sicily.

Évêché

  • Diocese of Palermo
  • Cathedral of Palermo

Inheritance

The majority of the churches, palates and monuments are in the old center

the Middle Ages

  • Church San Giovanni dei Lebbrosi (1071)
  • Church San Giovanni degli Eremiti (1030)
  • Vault of the Palates of Norman (1132-1140) the
  • Church of Martorana (Santa Maria dell' Ammiragliato) (1143)
  • Church San Cataldo (1154-1160)
  • Cathedral (1169-1190)
  • Cathedral of Monreale (1176)
  • Cloister of Monreale (1176-1189)
  • Church San Spirito (1178)
  • Church S. Zita (1369)
  • Church of Gancia (XVe century)
  • Palazzo Abatellis (XVe century)

Modern time

  • Church Santa Caterina, XVIe/XVIIe centuries
  • Church of Gesù (1564-1633)
  • Oratorical of the brotherhood of the Rosary of San Domenico (1578)
  • Fountain of the piazza Pretoria (XVIe century)
  • Church of Pietà (1678-1684)
  • Botanical garden (1789)
  • garden of the flowers of spring (1795)

Personalities

  • Luca Toni (1977-), footballer in Palermo between 2003 and 2005

Administration

Hamlets

Acqua dei Corsari, Altarello, Aquino, Arenella, Bandita, Boccadifalco, Brancaccio, Ciaculli, Mezzomonreale, Mondello, Pallavicino, Partanna, Pomara, Resuttana, San Lorenzo, Santuario di Santa Rosalia, Sferracavallo, Tommaso Native, Vergine Maria, Villagrazia

Communes bordering

Altofonte, Belmonte Mezzagno, Ficarazzi, Insulated delle Femmine, Misilmeri, Monreale, Torretta, Villabate

Twinnings

Others

The holy owner of Palermo east Santa Rosalia (Holy Rosalie) which is still largely venerated.

Before 1624, Palermo had four holy owners, for each of four most of the city: Holy Agathe de Catane, Holy Christine de Tyr, Holy Holy Nymph and Olive.

Gallery

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