PALERMO CIVITAS

Palermo has been selected by Roberto Amati in relation to the real history of european integration, then enlisted in the CITY OR CIVITAS category, accompanied by own fact SHEET useful to the comprehension, completed of historical MAPS AND IMAGES or with a direct linking to the related Blog contents dedicated to the the aeternitas and the future of Europe.

Palermo is one of the most ancient cities of the history of European integration, signed in great part by Christianity. It was founded around VIII century B.C. by Phoenicians on a natural harbour on the Thyrrenian sea, named Ziz and developed as trading port with Carthage and Greeks, who renamed it Panormos during the war to control the city in V century B.C.. Time after the rival civitas of Syracuse allied to Cumae and Romans, who conquered the city and annexed to the Roman ResPublica in 265 B.C.: the Civitas Palermo developed its natural trading propension within the Mediterranean sea and built may luxurious residences and public services, connecting it to other centres in Sicily and to Regium through the Valeria way.

Within the reform of Augustus (see Roman Empire), Palermo was included into the Sicilia province where lived together Romans, Greeks and the ancient Sicani people into the Christian community that, with the reform of Constantine I (see Christian Empire) became a bishopric city within the imperial Italiae Diocesis. When the Western Roman Empire imploded in 476 A.D., Palermo was conquered by Vandals and Ostrogoths but soon after the Greek-Gothic War was conquered by Byzantine Empire becoming part of the Theme Sikelia: in that period in Palermo had been built many churches in byzantine style and the 'Cuba' palace, seat of the city governor (strategos).

From 831 to 1072 A.D. the island went under Arabs dominion, who founded the Emirate of Sicily and established their capital in Palermo: they made lots of beautiful artistic operas, such in the Cappella Palatina and the Cuba Palace, and also introduced many agricultural crops which remain a mainstay of Sicilian cuisine nowadays! Afterthat, Normans conquered Sicily in mission for the Roman Church under the Hauteville dinasty, that gained the title of Sicily Regnum by reintroducing Christianity in the island and building many marvellous monuments in their renewed capital Palermo, such as the Palazzo dei Normanni (still used by the Sicilia region parliament!) and the Palermo Cathedral. When their regnum was inherited by the Reich emperor Frederick II of the Staufer dinasty, he made Palermo a rich city and the capital of the whole Holy Roman Empire from 1220 A.D.! Some times after, the Sicily kingdom was conquered by the Bellonidi dinasty and joined to their Aragon Krone and with new Reich emperor Charles V of Habsburg-Spain dinasty, Palermo became capital of an imperial vice-regnum and one of Mediterranean's largest city and major port in XVII century A.D..

Once passed to Hapsburg-Lorraine emperors dinasty in 1700 A.D., the regnum was assigned to Savoy dinasty along with the Utrecht Peace 1714 but they soon returned and Sicily was definitely conquered by Borbone dinasty in 1734 A.D. and Palermo crowned the King Charles III, who commissioned new houses built for the growing population and developed trading and industry grew as well, but moved the capital of the kingdom to Naples. This happened again after the epoch of Napoleon I, when it was founded the Kingdom of Two Sicily with the Wien Congress of 1815 A.D. and capital in Palermo, until it was annexed to the Italy kingdom and the city followed its destiny.

Palermo is the Sicily's cultural, economic and tourism capital, a city rich in history, art, music and food. What to visit in Palermo? Numerous tourists are attracted by the city for its appealing Mediterranean climate and the nice Palermo weather (as in the near Mondello beach), its renowned and ancient gastronomy known for the colourful fruit, vegetable and fish markets at the heart of Palermo, known as 'Vucciria', 'Ballarò' and 'Capo', as welle as for the Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque and Art Nouveau palaces, churches and buildings all around the city. Why is famous Palermo? It is still one of the largest cities in the Mediterranean sea, among the top tourist destinations in Italy and Europe thanks to the 'Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale' enlisted in the UNESCO World Heritage. Nowadays, Palermo is a big city of southern Italy, capital of Sicily region whose patron is the medieval hermit Saint Rosalia from 1624 A.D., when her appearence saved the city from the plague.

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