A slide presentation about Palermo for Lost In Time Comenius Project

1. PALERMO
Lost in Time

2. The Addaura Cave
cave-wall engravings
dated to the late
Epigravettian and the
Mesolithic
human settlements dated
to 14.000 years ago

3. Palermo is located in a beautiful position in the
centre of a large bay. All along people travelling
around the Mediterranean Sea were attracted by the
fertile valley surrounded by mountains and slight hills

4. It was founded by the
Phoenicians 2700 years
ago. They called it Ziz
(flower) and
surrounded it by walls

5. Necropolis and burials

6. 2268 years ago the Romans conquered the
town calling it “Panormus” from the Greek
“Panormos” (all harbour). It got the status of
a free town.
Mosaics at the “Villa Romana”

8. At the fall of the Roman Empire in 535 the town went
under Byzantine domination. To cope with the
overwhelming power of the Emperor of Byzantium in
827 Emir Aghlabid invaded Sicily defending the
population. In 831, after the conquest by the Arab
army, the town became the capital called Balarm and
later Palermo.
The conquerors were tolerant towards the surviving
Christian population of Latin and Greek rite and towards
the Jews. Thanks to the fertile countryside and the
strategic position, the town became one of the largest
and wealthiest of the time.

9. The continuous fights between local lords
caused the end of the Arab rule. In 1061 the
Normans invaded and conquered the whole
area in 1091. As there was a great tolerance
towards the local population, Muslim could
live without problems for nearly two
centuries during the reign of Frederick II
(1197-1250). This tolerance is representative
in architecture in which there is a
remarkable synthesis between elements of
Latin , Greek and Islam culture.

10. Norman Palace
Located on a slight hill, it symbolizes the
center of the power since the Phoenicians.
It is the home of the oldest Parliament and
the most ancient royal residence in Europe.
The two towers and the Palatine Chapel
date from the Norman period.

11. Norman Palace

12. Sicily was under the heel of Islam for two centuries.
Elements of civilization confluence in art.
In the Palatine Chapel the paintings on the parchment
represent scenes from the Islamic Paradise.
Very antique mosaics made by Byzantine handicrafts.
A cultural and religious cohabitation - A union between
Christianity (Saint’s life – Easter Church Candle - Christ
“Pantocratore” ) and Islamic tradition.
The palm tree (dates, leaves, trunk, honey, wine ) was
account as the symbol of life – life sap drips from the trunk.

13. Palatine Chapel
1140

14. Court Scenes Ceiling

15. Palatine Chapel

16. Palatine Chapel- Nativity

17. Palatine Chapel – Baptism of Christ

18. Norman Palace – Ruggero Room

19. Norman Palace – Ruggero Room
mosaics ceiling

20. Commemorative stone written in Latin, Greek
and Arabic remembering the water clock
commissioned by Ruggero in 1142

21. San Cataldo Churh
1154

22. San Cataldo Church

23. Martorana Church– 1143
Mosaics

24. Martorana Church
Mosaics

25. Martorana Church
Column with flowered inscriptions

26. Santo Spirito Church- 1172

27. San Giovanni degli Eremiti

28. San Giovanni degli Eremiti - courtyard

29. Maredolce Castle – 1071
surrounded by an artificial lake
Probable adjustment of a palace of Emir
Kalbita Gia’far

30. La Cuba - 1180

31. La Cuba – Remains of muqarnas

32. La Cubula - 1184

33. La Magione Church - 1191

34. La Magione - Courtyard

35. Cathedral
Built on a paleochristian cathedral, changed in a
mosque during the arab period and rebuilt in
1184. The inside was rebuilt between 1781 and
1801 in a neoclassical style.

36. Cathedral - Apsis

37. Cathedral - decorations

38. Cathedral – Column with a page of the Koran

39. La Zisa - 1175

40. La Zisa

41. La Zisa - Mosaics

42. Commemorative stone in Latin, Greek, Arabic and
Hebrew