L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano F o r t h o s e y e t unaware Paler- m o , n o t o n l y cherished by its l o c a l s b u t admired far and wide, har- bors some unique and exclu- sive features that distinguish it as the capital of Sicily. It boasts the largest historical center in Europe, a title rec- ognized by UNESCO and only rivaled by Lisbon, Por- tugal's capital. Palermo is h o m e t o E u r o p e ' s o l d e s t paper document—a bilingual letter in Greek and Arabic written by Adelasia, the wife o f R o g e r I . T h e S a l i n a s Museum houses one of the world's most extensive Etr- uscan art collections. The Palermo Stone, second only to the Rosetta Stone, is cru- cial for translating ancient Egyptian. The Italian lan- guage traces its origins to the court of Frederick II, who founded the Sicilian School. The city's Botanical Garden is the largest in Europe, and the ficus magnolioides in Piazza Marina ranks among Europe's most colossal trees (which, years ago, hosted a theatrical stage within its v a s t t r u n k ) . T h e F a v o r i t a Park stands as Italy's largest urban park; the Teatro Mas- s i m o i s t h e l a r g e s t o p e r a house in Italy and third in Europe; the Sicilian Parlia- ment, alongside Iceland's and the Faroe Islands, is the oldest in the world, and con- v e n e d f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e under King Roger in 1130. Palermo was the first city to boast two opera houses; the wooden ceiling of the Pala- tine Chapel, within the Nor- man Palace, is hailed as the pinnacle of Islamic art on earth; the Qanat, unique in Europe, are found only in Iran and Syria; the Punic Necropolis is the largest of the Punic world; the painted decorations in Villa Igea by Ettore de Maria Bergler are a m o n g t h e f i n e s t e x p r e s - sions of Art Nouveau; and the Chinese Pavilion stands as the sole example of its a r c h i t e c t u r a l s t y l e i n Europe. While we could con- tinue, we choose not to dwell on mere listings. A m o n g P a l e r m o ' s r e m a r k a b l e f e a t u r e s , t h e Sicilian Parliament and the Norman Palace, along with t h e P a l a t i n e C h a p e l , a n d extending to the Cathedrals o f P a l e r m o , C e f a l ù , a n d Monreale with its cloister, the Church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti, the Church of the Martorana, that of San Cataldo, the Zisa Castle, and the Admiral's Bridge, make up the Arab-Norman itin- e r a r y , a UNESCO World Heritage Site. T h e N o r m a n P a l a c e i s recognized as Europe's most ancient royal abode, with a history marked by diverse a r c h i t e c t u r a l p h a s e s . Beneath it, remnants of the first Punic settlements from t h e 6 t h c e n t u r y B C a r e found, indicating its early use for trade. The site's ini- tial Arab structures emerged in the 9th century. It was Roger II who, in 1130, trans- formed the fortress into a royal palace, constructing the Chapel of Saint Peter on the site of an earlier church, which still bears the name " P a l a t i n e , " s i g n i f y i n g i t s regal connection. Through the eras, towers w e r e e r e c t e d a n d l a t e r demolished due to various misfortunes, with additions of both sheltered and open walkways, arcades, a mint for coining, and the Tiraz for producing luxurious textiles. N o t a b l y , F r e d e r i c k I I o f Swabia, grandson to Roger II and Frederick Barbarossa, Emperor of Germany and K i n g o f S i c i l y , c h e r i s h e d Palermo. His love for the city and Sicily was so pro- found that, despite his fre- quent absences, he insisted on being interred here. His final resting place is in the Cathedral of Palermo. After his passing, the city endured prolonged, strenuous con- flicts for power, hosting both the Angevins and, following the Sicilian Vespers uprising in 1282, the Aragonese from s o u t h e a s t e r n S p a i n . T h e dynasty's last rulers relocat- e d t o t h e C h i a r a m o n t e Palace, also known as Steri, later the headquarters of the H o l y I n q u i s i t i o n a n d p r e s e n t l y t h e U n i v e r s i t y Rectorate. In the early 16th century, amid succession d i s p u t e s , t h e S p a n i s h appointed a Viceroy to over- see the island, acting in the Spanish monarch's stead. T h e N o r m a n P a l a c e , having ceased to be a royal r e s i d e n c e , e x p e r i e n c e d extensive modifications over the years, including both demolitions and reconstruc- tions. Notably, a new pas- sage was added leading to Porta Nuova, stretching all the way to the sea and Porta F e l i c e . T h i s p a t h w i n d s through the Cassaro, the his- toric artery linking the city's mountainous region to its coastal counterpart, effec- t i v e l y b i s e c t i n g P a l e r m o . T o d a y ' s p r o m i n e n t h a l l s include the Hall of Hercules, celebrated for its mythologi- cal frescoes and serving as the venue for Sicilian Parlia- ment meetings. Additional- ly, the palace houses the Yel- low Room, named in honor of Piersanti Mattarella, regional president from the 20th of March 1978 to the 6th of January 1980, tragi- c a l l y a s s a s s i n a t e d b y t h e Mafia, and the brother of c u r r e n t P r e s i d e n t o f t h e Republic, Sergio. The Red and Green Rooms are also key features of the palace. T h e R o y a l P a l a c e , a symbol of wealth and politi- cal power, safeguards a vast cultural heritage epitomized by the Palatine Chapel. Guy de Maupassant called it "the most beautiful in the world, the most stunning religious jewel conceived by human thought and execut- ed by artist's hands," while Oscar Wilde referred to it as "the wonder of wonders." The Chapel is an architec- tural and decorative amal- gam of multiple cultures and r e l i g i o n s , w i t h I s l a m i c , Latin, and Byzantine crafts- men contributing to its con- struction and decoration. In a city with an almost tropical climate like Paler- mo, a garden is essential, and the Royals ensured its presence. A unique feature o f t h i s s p a c e i s a f i c u s macrophylla entwining a large pinus pinea, symboliz- i n g t h e h o s p i t a l i t y a n d brotherhood inherent to the spirit of Palermo's inhabi- tants. Currently, beyond its nor- mal parliamentary functions and office activities, some rooms are often "loaned out" for cultural or socially signif- icant events that contribute to the story and develop- m e n t o f P a l e r m o . I n t h e Piersanti Mattarella room, on March 15, a meeting was held where two "Memoran- dums of Understanding for the promotion and donation of organs" were signed. One between the Lions Interna- tional District 108Yb Sicily, t h e R e g i o n a l T r a n s p l a n t Center, and Federfarma; the o t h e r b e t w e e n t h e s a m e Lions District and USR Sici- ly, aiming to raise public a w a r e n e s s a b o u t o r g a n donation and facilitate the declaration of intent process through pharmacies and the Regional School Office. The press conference was attend- ed by various authorities r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e h i g h e s t r e g i o n a l a n d m u n i c i p a l institutional offices. The sig- natories of the memoran- dums were Daniela Macalu- so for the Lions, alongside Gioacchino Nicolosi, Presi- d e n t o f F e d e r f a r m a , a n d Giorgio Battaglia, Coordina- t o r o f t h e C R T ( R e g i o n a l Transplant Center), for the f i r s t ; a n d o n c e a g a i n , Daniela Macaluso for the L i o n s a n d M a r c o A n e l l o , d e l e g a t e d b y t h e G e n e r a l Director of USR Giuseppe Pierro, for the second. The event was champi- oned by hospital neurosur- geon Marika Tutino, repre- s e n t i n g t h e L i o n s International District 108Yb Sicily. TERESA DI FRESCO Once upon a time, there was a king... LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE Palermo, Palazzo dei Normanni, or Norman Palace (Photo: Dudlajzov/Dreamstime) Palermo, Ponte dell'Ammiraglio (Photo: Andreas Zerndl/Dreamstime)

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