The Norman Palace has housed the rulers of Sicily since the 7th century. First the Arab caliphs, and after the conquest of the island – the Norman kings. In the XII century, the Palatine Chapel was built, which was decorated with magnificent Byzantine mosaics. In the XVI century, the second wave of popularity of the palace falls, since the Spanish viceroy chooses it as his residence. In this regard, a large-scale reconstruction of the building was carried out. Since the middle of the XX century, the regional parliament of the island of Sicily has been sitting here.

The country residence of the kings of Sicily, built in the distant XII century. The architecture of the building absorbed much of the Arabic manner of construction, as the customer really liked the Oriental style. The palace really resembles a cube decorated with traditional Moorish arches and Arabic script. Currently, the museum of Arab Culture is located on the territory of the complex.

Another striking representative of the Arab-Norman architectural style. The palace was built in the XII century for King William I. The building was used as a hunting villa. As a result of numerous alterations, the building has almost lost its unique appearance, but has acquired the features of medieval European architecture. The palace is surrounded by a magnificent lush park. Nowadays, there is a museum dedicated to Islamic art on the territory of the Tziza Palace.

The villa is located about 15 km from Palermo. It was built at the very beginning of the XVIII century in the Baroque architectural style designed by Tommaso Napoli. The customer was one of the first representatives of the Sicilian nobility. At the end of the XIX century, the building was acquired by another noble family. The villa is still privately owned, so access to its territory is limited.

The private chapel of the Sicilian kings, located in the Norman Palace. The chapel appeared in the XII century under the ruler Roger II. The temple is a small compact basilica with unique interiors that have survived to the present day. Marble-granite mosaic of the floor and ceiling painting deserve special attention. These elements of the interior decoration have reached us in their original form.

A medieval temple that incorporated elements of various architectural styles – Gothic, Moorish style, classicism. The history of the building began in the IV century with a small early Christian church. Arab, Spanish and even German craftsmen worked on the construction, decoration and restoration of the cathedral. For many centuries, the rulers of Sicily have been crowned here. Inside the cathedral there are real treasures and works of art.

The Church of San Cataldo is a unique monument of Arab-Norman architecture of the XII century. Outwardly, it somewhat resembles a mosque with a high minaret. At the moment, the temple is owned by the brothers of the monastic Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Nearby is the temple of Martorana, also built in the XII century. The Byzantine mosaic decorating the interior of the Martorana is the oldest on the island of Sicily. Both churches are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The cathedral is located in the suburb of Palermo — the city of Montreal. The interior of the temple is decorated with thematic mosaics with scenes from the New and Old Testaments. The cathedral was erected under the ruler William II the Good at the end of the XII century. At the same time, a Benedictine monastery was built at the temple. The building continued to be completed and rebuilt until the beginning of the XIX century, but in many respects it retained its original medieval appearance.

The temple is considered a characteristic representative of the "Sicilian Baroque" architectural style. Construction began in the XVII century. The project was developed by the Genoese architect D. Bezio, who was a member of the Catholic Order of the Theatines. The interior is richly decorated with marble, bas-reliefs, decorative elements, columns, ceilings and enfilades are carved from solid slabs. The church is also decorated with a magnificent marble floor.

One of the largest theaters in Europe and the largest opera stage in Italy, where the famous tenor Enrico Caruso and composer Giacomo Puccini performed. "Massimo" in Italian means "the greatest, the greatest". The construction of the theater began at the end of the XIX century, the premiere production was the opera of the master J. Verdi's "Falstaff". The prevailing architectural style is classical with elements of the ancient Greek manner.

The building is in a pompous neoclassical style, reminiscent of ancient Roman temples. The theater was built in 1891 by architect D. D. Almeida. The name "Polytheama" indicates that there are works of various genres on the stage. In 2000, reconstruction was carried out, part of the premises was transferred to the Palermo Gallery of Modern Art. Since 2001, the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra has been performing on the stage of the Polytheama.

The Doll Museum, founded in 1975. The collection consists of several thousand copies brought from all over the world. Dolls clearly demonstrate the features of various nations and peoples. Italians have always attached special importance to theater and acting. The founder of the Puppet Museum, A. Pasqualino, also established the Morgana Festival, dedicated to the art of puppet theater.

The palace of the XV century, built by order of Captain F. Abatellis, designed by architect M. Carnelivari. The structure was built in the Gothic Catalan style. The building was significantly damaged during the Second World War, but was later restored. Nowadays, the palace houses the collection of the Sicilian Regional Art Gallery. Exhibits of the XII-XVIII centuries are collected here.

The museum is located in a building of the XVII century, which was built for a monastery and a church. But in 1866, a law was issued, according to which religious orders were abolished, so the building was placed at the disposal of the National Museum. The funds were gradually replenished at the expense of private collections, works of art from monasteries, churches, city universities. One of the most valuable exhibits is a panel of the III century AD with the image of Orpheus.

Underground rooms located in the basements of the Capuchin monastery, where more than 8 thousand people are buried: monks, nobles, famous and revered citizens, artists and other important people for Sicily. This necropolis is quite unusual, since the dead bodies are on display, and do not rest in closed crypts. The temperature of the catacombs prevents decomposition, so the bodies are in a "preserved" state.

The building of the XVI century, erected in honor of the victory of Charles V in the Tunisian War. The gate is located at the entrance to the historical part of Palermo. Porta Nuova is a Sicilian "triumphal arch" that adorns the city and at the same time serves as a landmark. Unfortunately, the gate has not reached our days in its original form, since it was blown up in 1667. Master Gaspar Garcia worked on the restoration of the historical appearance of the building.

The gate was erected in the XVII century. They were used to enter the city from the coast. The structure was built in the Baroque and Renaissance style, the upper part is crowned with figures of two eagles and the coat of arms of the Spanish rulers. During the bombing of the Second World War, only ruins remained of the Port of Felice, but as a result of painstaking and thorough reconstruction, the structure was restored.

A huge fountain that occupies almost the entire space of the square of the same name. The sculptural composition was created in the XVI century, gradually over the centuries it became very dilapidated and fell into disrepair. In the period 1998-2003, the fountain was restored. The result is a composition of three large circles-bowls surrounded by stone mythological characters, animals and monsters.

The favorable climate and suitable conditions made it possible to create a botanical garden in Palermo with a rich variety of flora. It appeared at the end of the XVIII century at the botanical department of the Royal University. Initially, medicinal plants were grown on a small territory, but very soon there was not enough space and the garden had to expand. Now the park covers an area of about 10 hectares.

Palermo city beach, located on the slope of Mount San Pellegrino, surrounded by orchards. The place is popular with tourists because of the clean water, snow-white sand, convenient location and thoughtful infrastructure. The length of the beach is only two kilometers, so there is practically no free space here in high season, from a large number of people who want to sunbathe under the Sicilian sun.