Tag: architettura
-
Randazzo’s Dazzling Cathedral
Like something out of a fairy tale, the (almost) 800-year old Santa Maria Cathedral in the City of Randazzo was constructed in the Frederick Gothic Style, a style encouraged by a civic and military program sponsored by Holy Roman Emperor and King of Sicily Frederick II of Hohenstaufen. The black lava stone blocks of the…
-
Elements Of Agrigento And Selinunte In Palermo
Teatro Massimo, Palermo’s opera house that opened in 1897, is a master work of Greek and Roman inspired architecture designed by Giovan Battista Filippo Basile (1825-1891). The construction was completed by his son Ernesto in 1897. The elder Basile incorporated decorative details from the ancient temples at Agrigento and Selinunte into the theater’s design.
-
Google (and We) Know What’s Awe-Inspiring
In just a few days, the exclusive summit for Google Camp will take place in Sicily. Their annual milestone dinner will be held at the foot of this temple, Temple E (archeologists believe it was for the ancient Greek goddess Hera), at the Archeological Park of Selinunte. This Doric-style temple was completed between 490 and…
-
Look Again! This Is In Campania
At first glance, this photo could have been taken in Palermo, but in fact, it is the floor of the Duomo di Casertavecchia in Campania! The Arab-Normann designs of the 12th century cathedral are most definitely related to those in Cefalù, Monreale, and Palermo, but they are located north of Naples, one of the capitals…
-
Modern Wonder in Napoli
In anticipation of next year’s Southern Secrets: Hidden Corners of Campania and Sicily (June 2019) with our partner Feast on History, I’m in Napoli! This is the brand new breathtaking train station in Afragola, a true architectural wonder of our modern era, designed by Zaha Hadid (who happens to be a woman!).
-
Gone Fishing
The UNESCO recognized Villa Romana del Casale at Piazza Armerina reveals not only much to us about human life in ancient Rome, but also about the abundance of wildlife in the region 1600 years ago, when it was constructed. The mosaic tile floor in the semicircular, porticoed atrium, which was designed to catch rain water,…
-
Monreale Offers A Moment Of Peace
Whenever I visit the cloisters (chiostro) of Monreale Cathedral, I enjoy taking a moment at the fountain that anchors one of the corners of the garden. Its elegance and ancient beauty transport me to another era, somewhere far away. Somewhere peaceful. The cloisters were built by Sicilian and Venetian artisans in the early 13th century…
-
At Selinunte, I Feel Ghosts
Yesterday, Tony, Dominic, and I visited the magnificent ancient city of Selinunte with our guide Gianluca. I’m always taken aback by this site because it’s expansive. It’s strewn with ruins of massive temples and abandoned homes. To me it possesses ghosts everywhere, who continue to protect it. Selinunte was a Greek city built on the…
-
Palermo’s Renaissance and Stand Florio
I was so thrilled yesterday when I drove past Stand Florio on the SS 113 between Palermo and Bagheria. I had heard rumors of refurbishment somewhere, but when I laid eyes on it, I was so excited. The last time I posted about it was in March 2014. And it looked absolutely terrible. To see…