Antique jewels
The astonishing necropolis of Pantalica, with its 5,000 rock-cut tombs and the remains of its monumental palace, is a precious witness to a human presence with elaborate rites dating back to the Bronze Age. But it was above all the Greeks who transformed the island. Urban planners of genius, they didn't build their cities at random. Most often built on rocky promontories that acted as natural defenses and close to arable land, Greek cities were protected by powerful walls and organized according to a rigorous plan. The first site to be demarcated was the temenos, the sacred space dedicated to the city's protective divinity, then the rest of the land was organized in a checkerboard pattern, with wide avenues meeting at the agora, the heart of the city. The dwellings are organized in blocks of the same size. The city's main buildings were the temples, theaters and assembly halls. The architects of the time gave free rein to their imagination, taking care to integrate the building as harmoniously as possible into its environment. Agrigento with its Temple of Concord, all columns and stucco, its gigantic Temple of Zeus and its Telamon, the stone giants that supported the edifice; Segesta with its superb unfinished temple, a marvellous example of Doric perfection, and its theater opening onto the horizon; Selinunte, with its acropolis seemingly suspended above the waves and its astonishing ceramics factory; the Rocche di Cusa quarries, where unfinished pillars and columns still stand; and, of course, the Temple of Apollo in Syracuse (the island's oldest), all bear witness to Greek splendor and craftsmanship. And make no mistake: while today's buildings are immaculately white, they were once covered in color! This decorative richness can also be found in Roman architecture, the finest example of which is undoubtedly the Villa Casale, with its amazingly exotic mosaic pavements. The Villa is also home to the remains of the thermal baths, with their highly sophisticated piping system and various areas (promenades, palaces, etc.). Porticoes and peristyles complete this splendid picture. The Romans were also the creators of the latifundia, vast agricultural estates centred around the large Villae Rusticae, vast rural residences.
Medieval wealth
The Arab presence in Sicily can still be seen today in the urban planning of certain cities, whose mighty castles were built on ancient Arab forts, and whose vibrant markets are reminiscent of the souks of the time. In Palermo, the fortified Kalsa district is an extension of the city that owes much to the Arabs. This presence can also be seen in the engineering feats developed to control the land via complex irrigation systems, as witnessed by the underground aqueduct networks still visible in Palermo. Added to this was a refinement and decorative richness that would leave a lasting impression on the Normans, and more specifically Richard II of Hauteville. An enlightened diplomat and a great scholar, he gave birth to a unique art form now inseparable from Sicily: Arab-Norman art, drawing on the sources of the many cultures already present. The result was sumptuous buildings with Romanesque structures, Byzantine gold mosaics and Arab domes, gardens and fountains. The Norman kings were even nicknamed "the baptized sultans"! The great masterpiece of the period is the Palatine Chapel in the former Arab palace. Its structure and superb geometric marble pavements are typical of the Italian Romanesque, while its wooden pendentive ceilings are Arab and its apses and domes adorned with sumptuous mosaics on a gold background are resolutely Byzantine. Another splendor not to be missed is Monreale Cathedral, with its 6,440m2 of mosaics. And don't miss the cloister of the convent adjoining the cathedral, with its portico supported by 228 geminated columns housing a refreshing fountain. Cefalù's gilded stone cathedral, with its clever interplay of intersecting arcatures and richly mosaic-decorated apses, and the church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti in Palermo, with its Romanesque campanile and five red Arabic domes, are two further examples of this incredible Norman syncretism. Alongside these sanctuaries, Norman kings also built Arab-inspired residences. Palermo's Cuba is a good example. A rectangular pavilion with narrow windows and blind arches, it borrows from the codes of Fatimid architecture. This austere exterior is offset by the presence of precious gardens where fountains and kiosks with jagged arches topped by domes are signs of extreme refinement. Such was the influence of this Arab-Norman art that it was not until the 14th century that a new architectural style appeared: Gothic. One of Sicily's finest Gothic buildings is the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Palermo, with its superb portal and rose window. The Gothic style gradually took on other influences. The Chiaromonte family built numerous castles and palaces in a style that borrowed from both Gothic (pointed arches, rose windows, geminated bays, etc.) and Arab influences (interlacing arcatures, polychrome decorations, etc.). The Palazzo Steri in Palermo alternates between defensive austerity and decorative richness, while the castles of Caccamo, Montechiaro and Mussomeli are not to be missed, with their crenellated silhouette, numerous secret passages and beautiful vaulted rooms. Under Aragonese rule, Gothic-Catalan architecture made its appearance on the island, with buildings of great formal purity such as the church of Santa Maria della Catena in Palermo. Medieval Sicily can also be discovered through the many watchtowers that dot its coastline and through its villages of narrow streets and vaulted passageways. Erice is one of the most beautiful medieval centers in Sicily, with a wealth of treasures to discover: surrounding walls (the lower blocks of which bear the mark of the Phoenicians!), towers, fortified gates, alleys paved with geometric patterns and pretty mansions with patios..
Baroque effervescence
In terms of architecture, the Renaissance hardly made its mark in Sicily... but the Baroque flourished here like nowhere else. It has to be said that in Sicily, Baroque was not only the style favored by the Counter-Reformation to impress the faithful and bring them back into the fold of the Church, it was also and above all the style of reconstruction. Following the earthquake of 1693, many towns were reduced to rubble. It was time to rebuild. Between the great noble families, the burgeoning bourgeoisie and the religious orders, the struggle was fierce, as each wished to demonstrate its power in the most sumptuous of ways. Architecture and urban planning became the tools for staging power. The reconstruction of the city of Noto is the most striking example. The new town was laid out in a checkerboard pattern, with the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, a major straight artery, running through the town and serving numerous squares that unfolded like so many theatrical stages. The symmetry of this layout allows for a skilful play on perspective, highlighting the splendour of the Baroque buildings that line the city, whose monumental staircases, superb sculpted portals and balconies, and facades that play on volumes and shadows to create a permanent sense of movement, are not to be missed. Highlights include the Duomo, Palazzo Villadorata and the Jesuit College. Everything is designed to look its best: that's why Sicilian Baroque is so richly decorated. The great master of this art was Giacomo Serpotta, a local sculptor and marble-maker's son, who gave stucco its letters of nobility, turning decoration into an art form in its own right. He was responsible for the stuccoes, cherubs, draperies and garlands of flowers in the oratories of the rosaries of San Domenico and Santa Zita in Palermo, whose marble dust is enhanced with mother-of-pearl and gypsum. Marquetry is also widely used in Sicilian Baroque, offering incredible polychrome effects. In 2002, eight cities were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites for their rich Baroque heritage. Among them, don't miss Caltagirone, with its balconies, fountains, facades and kiosks, as well as its monumental staircase, the Scala di Santa Maria del Monte, entirely covered in polychrome ceramics and majolica; Catania, with the moving facade of its Duomo, the convex facade of the church of San Giuliano, the concave facade of the church of Santa Trinita and its Via dei Crociferi dotted with 5 churches and 4 convents, creating a monumental perspective; Modica and its church of San Girogio, whose scrolled facade sits atop a 250-step staircase; or Ragusa, with its church of San Giorgio, inlaid with marble and stucco lace. Palermo is not to be outdone, of course, with its theatrical Piazza Vigliena with its 4 richly decorated corners, the beautiful patrician residences of Via Maqueda and the polychrome marble of Santa Caterina. With the Baroque period, even nature took center stage, as evidenced by the gardens filled with statues and fountains of sumptuous villas such as Villa Palagonia in Bagheria.
Small heritage
Sicily's identity can also be seen in its rural heritage. Dry-stone walls line the island's fertile land. In the heart of rural Sicily, you may come across a masseria, a traditional farmhouse, often fortified, whose various buildings and outbuildings are organized around a large area. These isolated farmhouses can be found in the Hyblaean mountains. In the Trapani region, farmhouses are known as bagli. They are entered through an imposing gateway leading to an inner courtyard around which the entire structure is organized. Finally, this panorama would not be complete without the dammusi, dwellings perfectly adapted to the rigours of the climate, recognizable by their thick lava stone walls and domed roofs covered with waterproof plaster, allowing rainwater to run off into cisterns. On the slopes of Mount Etna, the black of the lava stone is everywhere, which is why the town of Randazzo is often nicknamed "the black one". Campaniles, cobbled streets and facades... everything seems to have been carved from lava! This is in stark contrast to the immaculate whiteness of the Aeolian Islands' mansions, which can be recognized by their roof terraces, whose pergolas are supported by powerful masonry columns, and the luxuriant vegetation that adorns their facades. The finest examples can be seen at Panarea and Stromboli. Last but not least, don't overlook the island's mining heritage. The Floristella-Grottacalda Mining Park, which looks like a ghost town, reveals the reality of the sulphur mines that remained in operation until the 1970s. Shafts, galleries and storage buildings bear witness to a complex past that should not be forgotten.
Modern and contemporary Sicily
In the last hours of the 18th century and throughout the 19th, Sicily was eclectic. And there was no shortage of influences to draw inspiration from! The most striking example is the Chinese Pavilion in Palermo's Parc de la Favorite. Commissioned by Ferdinand III of Bourbon, it combines Gothic arcades, Chinese-style roofs and bell towers, and neoclassical terraces. At the turn of the 20th century, Sicily moved away from historicizing eclecticism to embrace modernity with Liberty or Italian Art Nouveau. Astonishing curves, decorative richness and plant-inspired motifs characterize this new style, which gives pride of place to modern materials, especially cast iron and cement. In Palermo, the great master of this revival was Ernesto Basile, who built numerous villas for the new, prosperous urban bourgeoisie. Total works of art, with every detail, including the furniture, finely and richly crafted, these beautiful residences are to be seen in Viale della Liberta and the adjacent streets. Don't miss Villa Bordonaro, Villa Favardo and Basil's masterpiece, Villa Florio. Having suffered heavy destruction during the war, undermined by mafia-style real estate speculation that destroyed heritage treasures in favor of large, soulless concrete complexes on the outskirts of towns, and threatened again and again by the elements, Sicily is struggling to rebuild. Gibellina is a perfect example. Destroyed in 1968, its mayor, Ludovico Corrao, decided to build a new town where new buildings would interact with monumental works of art. Great artists and architects took part in the project. Ludovico Quarini imagined a church topped by a giant dome; Franco Purini and Laura Thermes designed a large square combining antique and geometric motifs; while Pietro Consagra created a 24-metre metal star spanning the freeway leading to the new town... A utopian project that ended in failure, Gibellina la neuve has become a veritable ghost town, its buildings falling into ruin. All that remains is the work of Alberto Burri, who has transformed the remains of the original Gibellina into "a labyrinth of memory, draping them in a shroud of lime that repeats the layout". Another contemporary creation, almost anachronistic in baroque Syracuse, is the Basilica-Sanctuary Madonna della Lacrime, a strange conical structure in reinforced concrete, 103 m high. Today, Sicily is committed to rehabilitation, transforming its traditional farmhouses into ambassadors of agro-tourism and its sumptuous palaces into design hotels. The island's relief also serves as a backdrop for beautiful, sleek villas. Combining tradition and modernity: this is the challenge facing Sicily, and one that the young architects and designers at Palermo's Vuedu Factory seem ready to take up!
