A plaque, on the end of a building, honors those who fought against Fascism in Sicily.

In Piazza Marina, you will find the Fontana del Garraffo.  The fountain takes its name from the Arabic word “gharraf,” which means “an abundance of water.”  The fountain dates from 1698, and is the work of the sculptor, Gioacchino Vitagliano.

Across the street from the fountain, you will find the former Palazzo delle Reali Finanze, which dates from 1840, and was designed by the architect, Emanuele Palazzotto.  It was built on the site of the old Vicaria Prison.  Today, the Finance Offices have moved elsewhere, and the building sits vacant.

The Chiesa di Santa Maria di Porto Salvo dates from 1526, and was designed by Antonello Gagini.

A plaque, on the facade of a building on Via dei Cassari, marks the house where the architect and sculptor, Antonio Gagini, lived.

Graffiti now covers some of the destruction left by World War II.

In Piazza del Garraffello, you will find the Fontana del Garraffello, which dates from 1591.  For many years, the locals believed that the water that flowed out of the fountain had healing qualities, and people would come from all over the city to drink it.  Today, the fountain sits in the middle of the piazza, surrounded by the remains of bombed out buildings, and parked cars.

 

Next up: We visit the famous Fontana Pretoria, and much more!

 

Note: This blog is written in English and Spanish, and the author takes no responsibility for the quality of any other translations that may appear.  If you have enjoyed this post, please, check out our archives for more posts from Palermo, as well as other Italian destinations.  Grazie!