The Fountain of Hercules located in Piazza San Domenico in Noto was created in 1757. It was intended to be reminiscent of Bernini’s masterpiece Fountain of the Four Rivers in Rome’s Piazza Novana, and probably, since he possesses a shield of the city, symbolizes the strength of the community that rebuilt after the devastating earthquake…
Tag: fountain
Fill Them Up
A piece of kitsch depicting a Sicilian folk scene.
A Tranquil Fountain
At one corner of the Cloister of the Cathedral of Monreale, there is a bubbling fountain surrounded by a few of the 228 unique columns that make up this tranquil, not-to-be-missed site. Built around 1200 AD, William II commissioned artisans from Sicily as well as those from Venice in order to create a unique sanctuary–both…
Palermo’s Quattro Canti: She Represents Summer
At the center of Palermo, the intersection of Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via Maqueda is called Quattro Canti, or Four Corners. Quattro Canti is octagonal in shape, and it is flanked by four 18th century Baroque facades, each with a fountain and a series of statues. On the first level–the street level–are images representing the…
The Fountains of Ortigia
In the center of Siracusa’s Ortigia Island, in Piazza Archimede, is the Fountain of Diana. In 1906, Italian sculptor Giulio Moschetti (1847-1909) designed and constructed the modern, yet Baroque-feeling work featuring the goddess of the hunt, wild animals, moon, and childbirth, i.e. the Roman Diana or Greek Artemis. Also present in the sculpture scene is…
The Fountains of Taormina
I’m thinking of summer. On a hot day Sicilians refresh themselves with fresh water from beautiful municipal fountains, like this one in Taormina.
The Splendid
La Zisa, which is currently open to the public as a museum, had been a residence since the 12th century when it was first constructed. Parts of it still maintain its original Moorish splendor–a good word to use because its name “La Zisa” was derived from the Arab word “al-Aziz,” meaning splendid. Throughout its history,…
La Zisa: Another Jewel of Palermo
Palermo’s La Zisa is a 12th century palace that was constructed by Moorish craftsmen in the Norman-Arab style. (Photo Credit: Experience Sicily’s Filippo Buttitta)
Fountain of Trigona
The Trigona family is one of the historic baronial families of Sicily. Like many noble clans during feudal times, they possessed many properties throughout the island–a palace in Palermo, an out-of-town mansion in Sant’Elia (near Santa Flavia and Bagheria), and a country estate in Sicily’s hinterland. This fountain is on the property of their country…
La Zisa
Another example of Palermo’s Norman-Arab architecture, La Zisa is a 12th century palace that was constructed by Moorish craftsmen. It possesses a fascinating design that enables air to move through its rooms and water to run between floors. Today, you can only imagine how beautiful it once was. Its internal courtyard and fountain give you…