 |
| Roman amphitheatre, Segesta |
Just re-acclimatising myself to Beloved Brugge post my Palermo
interlude. And what an
interlude! The images are swirling around my mind but the ones which
still most impress are of the stunning archaeological remains and the
wondrous mosaics. Of course there is more to Palermo than these but
the numerous
UNESCO heritage sites are quite extraordinary and probably, unique.
 |
| The Little Hunt; mosaic from Piazza Armerina |
The mid-12th century Duomo in
Monreale is perhaps the overwhelming and most awe-inspiring sight I
saw. Ten centuries after its creation [and built in ten years only in
the mid 1170s] it retains its golden sheen and its fluid, pictorial
narratives to dazzle modern tourists as much as it inspired awe and
exultation in the minds and spirits of early mediaeval man.
 |
Chamber of the Ten Maidens aka
Room of the Bikini Girls.
|
But, tying for first place is also
the stunning Roman villa complex at Piazza Armerina. Constructed
along four terraces on four levels, in three phases, in the early 4th
century A.D. for a highly-placed official or aristocrat, quite
probably the Governor of Sicily, the monumental staircase, enormous
halls and passages, gymnasium, complex bathing areas and
private apartments, speak of
luxury and wealth. There are the remains of 62 rooms but
the most thrilling and well-preserved sights are of the copious
number of mosaic pavements. The villa was inhabited for around 150
years and was finally abandoned after a huge mudslide in 1170 and despite the
visible remains of taller structures, the area was farmed and the
treasures below, chiefly forgotten until the discovery of some
mosaics in the nineteenth century although the first professional
excavation was not until 1929.
There were more UNESCO World
Heritage sites from the
amazing Valle dei Tempi near Agrigento
 |
| Greek Temple, Segesta |
to the tiny simple church of San
Cataldo in Palermo with its Norman Arab architectural echoes, and then the majesty of the Capella Palatina. All variously impressive in
beauty and narrative, and also in pointing to the layered history of
Sicily with its thousands of years of conquest by different civilisations.
Ancient Greek temples, Roman theatres, Arabic street plans, Byzantine/Norman churches; all reminders of past occupations which contributed to the multi-cultural jigsaw that is Sicily.
Ancient Greek temples, Roman theatres, Arabic street plans, Byzantine/Norman churches; all reminders of past occupations which contributed to the multi-cultural jigsaw that is Sicily.
 |
| Teatro Massimo, third biggest Opera House in Europe. |
But there was also the delight of a guided tour of the Teatro Massimo
and a performance of the Wizard of Oz for approximately1000 small
children bubbling over with excitement. And the Teatro Argento, one
of the puppet theatres with its magical marionettes and bloodthirsty
dramas. Plus the great street food and the outdoor incredibly noisy,
full-on markets. All not to be missed!
 |
| Mosaic, Monreale |
chaotic, frenetic, dirty and litter-strewn, poor but fiercely independent, exuberantly and deliberately anti-any-and-all regulations, hugely vibrant and open and welcoming. Sicily is even more Italian than Italy I would say though, in truth, the Sicilians differ greatly, historically and culturally, from the Italians. In fact, Sicily feels unique and Palermo, its capital city, captures the essence of the island in all its quixotic glory and in spite of its many burdens.
 |
| Changing the scenery at the Teatro Argento dei Pupi. |
