Palermo was conquered by many people who have left the territory of religious monuments of the highest quality. 

Among them you can not miss the Cathedral, the Norman Palace and the numerous churches built in different styles depending on the population that dominated the city at that time.

CATHEDRAL OF PALERMO

The Cathedral was built in 1184, on the site of an earlier church, converted into a mosque during the Arab period, was the archbishop Gualtiero Offamilio to promote the construction of the Cathedral. A year later, in 1185, the church was consecrated and dedicated to the Virgin.

Over the centuries, the Cathedral of Palermo, has undergone many changes made at different times, because of the many conquerors. So coexist harmoniously the Arab-Norman style and the Catalan Gothic.

Inside are preserved symbols of the city's history and the whole island: in a silver casket, the remains of the Patron Saint Rosalia, the bodies of Stupor Mundi Federico II, his wife Constance of Aragon, Henry VI, of Roger II and Constance of Altavilla.

CHURCH OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI

The church of St. Francis of Assisi, was built around 1260 and in the following centuries it was many times restored and modified.

The main portal, in Gothic style, surmounted by a pediment with three small arches and a rose window, was built in the fourteenth century. The Church in the seventeenth century, was decorated with stucco and frescoes by Pietro Novelli, the pillars were adorned with statues of Franciscan Virtue James Serpotta in the eighteenth century.

The interior has three naves and sixteen lateral chapels, of great importance is the Chapel Mastrantonio (1468-1469), a work produced in collaboration with Francesco Laurana and Pietro de Bonitate. The church also holds several valuable works of art.

On March 5, 1823, the building was damaged by an earthquake. The church was restored in the classical style. In the twentieth century, it was restored to the original appearance of the facade with the reconstruction of the canopy lost in the earthquake.

CHURCH OF JESUS

The Church of Jesus is one of the most important baroque churches in Palermo. It was founded in 1564 by the Jesuits.

The Church was initially presented with a nave and wide transept with large side chapels. Later, in the early seventeenth century, were shot down the dividing walls of the chapels, getting three naves. In 1636 came the great consecration of the Church.

In May 1943, during the Second World War, a bomb destroyed the dome of the Church, and in its collapse, was lost most of the paintings in the presbytery and transept.

It was later partially rebuilt and with the recent restoration has resumed its original appearance.

Inside, you can admire the sculptures by Gagini, by Benzoni and Vitaliano. The sacristy contains notable cabinets of the seventeenth century.

CHURCH OF SAN DOMENICO

The Church of San Domenico, which by extension is one of the largest churches in the island, is located near the Vucciria. It was built in 1640 after demolishing a previous Renaissance building built between 1458 and 1480.

The facade dates back to 1726 and is in the Baroque style, it is framed by two towers and is embellished with some plaster statues of saints and popes Dominicans. There are twelve columns, arranged in pairs, eight of these surround the central area and the entrance, the other four are placed at the base of the towers.

The interior has a Latin cross, is very wide, are preserved some important works of art from the Baroque period. There are eight columns on each side, in the Tuscan style, which divide the three aisles. 

SANTA MARIA DELL'AMMIRAGLIO (LA MARTORANA) 

The church, originally Greek-Orthodox Church, was built in 1143.

During the Norman period, was converted into a Catholic church. The building underwent changes over time, although substantial, in 1588 the Greek cross plan was transformed into a Latin cross plan with three naves.

The interior is square. In the center there are four pillars on which rest many arches that support a hemispherical dome. The walls are decorated with precious mosaics representing the Assumption, the Evangelists, the Archangels, the Apostles and many Greek saints.

In the garden of the Church there were orange trees but at certain times of the year there are no fruits. The nuns to show an always beautiful and well cared garden, made some oranges with almond paste and they colored, giving the garden a more eye-catching and beautiful effect. They invented, then, the fruits of marzipan. The monastery took its name from its founder, the noblewoman Eloisa Martorana. Was founded here, the expression "Martorana fruit."

CHURCH OF SANTA MARIA DELLA CATENA

The church has a Gothic-Catalan structure which is located near the Cala in Palermo. It was built between 1490 and 1520 and owes its name to the long chain attached to its outer wall, closed the entrance to the ancient port of Palermo. The building is preceded by a portico with three arches in the middle prospectus and two on the sides and a staircase. The three entrance gates are decorated with bas-reliefs sixteenth century, made by Gagini, as the decorations of the side chapels. Inside three naves are separated by squat columns reinforced by rectangular pillars, which support the arches of the vault Catalan interspersed with pointed arches sideways. They kept a Nativity with Adoration of the Shepherds, canvas of the early seventeenth century by an unknown author, a Nativity and Adoration of the Magi, bas-reliefs of the sixteenth century, attributed to Vincenzo and Antonello Gaginis.

CHURCH OF SANTA MARIA DELLA PIETA’

Santa Maria della Pietà is a Baroque church located in Palermo, in the district Kalsa. It was built between 1678 and 1684 upon agreement of the Dominican Sisters.

The facade, seventeenth-century masterpiece, is composed by six columns symmetrically arranged in two rows and several statues of saints and blessed Dominicans.

The interior consists of a nave and presents the eighteenth-century frescoes by Antonio Grano and those by Borremans. Of the eighteenth century is also the stucco decoration created by Giacomo Serpotta with figures of angels, wreaths of flowers and fruit that surround the frescoes.

The Church also keeps the sculptures of the town patron saint, Santa Rosalia, and the Immaculate Conception, which is carried in a procession every year.

NORMAN PALACE

The Royal Palace or the Norman Palace, was built in the highest place of Palermo, over a Punic settlement discovered in 1984.

During the Arab domination, was built the first nucleus with characteristics typically defensive, that's why it was called " Qasr ", a term which in Arabic stands for castle as well as a military fortification from the priority tasks .In 1072 the Normans arrived in Palermo and began the reconstruction and expansion of the site, which would lead in 1130 to the transformation of the fortress into a royal palace and can lead to the construction of the beautiful Palatine Chapel. It is located on the first floor of the building, is a three-aisled basilica dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul. The dome, transept and apses are decorated at the top with splendid Byzantine mosaics, among the most important in Sicily, depicting Christ Pantocrator blessing, the evangelists and various biblical scenes. The mosaics of the dome are the most ancient, dating back to the original construction of 1143.

CHURCH OF SAN GIOVANNI DEGLI EREMITI

The Church of St. John of the Hermits, was built in the Norman period, between 1130 and 1148, during the reign of Roger II. Later in the 1880s, it was restored by the architect Giuseppe Patricolo.

The church has a Latin cross, with the characteristic T. This structure is typical of the Arab architecture, consists of five small domes in red, lying on the rectangular blocks of tufa.

The internal architecture is developed in separate rooms at each dome, with a single nave. There are no decorations or embellishments but everything is characterized by simplicity and harmony.

The cloister of the Norman era, is a garden, rectangular in shape, the vegetation is enclosed by a wall with pointed arches in the Gothic style. There is also an Arab cistern.

From the thirteenth century remain today the church, desecrated, few remains of the monastery and the cloister square.