Admiring the Architecture of Sicily
Guest post by Cindy Amoroso. She visited Sicily with AT Escapes, and shared her experiences and photos from the trip.
I’m not an architecture expert by any means, but I love seeing varied and interesting architecture and couldn’t help but be awed in Sicily. Like so many features of Sicily’s culture, its architecture reflects the colorful, interesting, and multiple millennia of its history.
In Palermo, we were fascinated by the nobleman’s palazzo-turned hotel in which we stayed. Beautiful stone and marble staircases, and an ancient courtyard of cobblestones greeted us immediately as we checked in. Just steps from the front doors was the Baroque Quattro Canti, the main intersection of the old town. Here, each corner has an impressive Baroque facade representing each of the four seasons, and features statues of kings, saints, and fountains.
We proceeded to visit the churches, unbelievable almost in their lavish interiors and architectural details. We also visited the Church of San Cataldo, known for its red domes, and representing the unique Arab-Norman architectural style found at many Palermo sites. This architectural blending of cultures represents the multicultural history of Sicily.
Our Sicily travels will definitely be remembered for the fabulous and plentiful examples of Baroque style, especially seen in the many churches and cathedrals. These jewels were amazing, especially in the Baroque towns in the Val di Noto. We spent two days visiting these towns and admiring the gorgeous facades of churches, cathedrals, palazzos, and community buildings, but we could have spent many more enjoying an espresso and brioche under the shadow of a cathedral, walking the gardens or having lunch al fresco outside a former Baroque palazzo. It was like living in a fairy tale setting!
In contrast were the ornate style remains of the Baroque structure with the classic ancient Greek temples and theaters we were so fortunate to visit. Wherever we went, there were some remains of ancient Greek life in Sicily. It is still hard to imagine these Doric columns standing after 2,500 years, and still representing the thousands of people it took to build them. These temples are a testament to the sophistication of Greek building techniques.
I stood looking at them, and imagining my favorite Greek myths coming to life. Not to be forgotten, the Romans, too, left their mark on the architecture of Sicily. We ate dinner in Taormina, just off the Corso Umberto, looking into the Roman theater. What a memorable meal! Dinner with a view like that was a first.
Blended with all these architectural styles were also the structures from the medieval period in Sicily’s history. I found myself drawn to these buildings – picturesque, full of character, but relatively simple–that lined the narrow streets of Medieval times. Another setting that also reminded me of fairy tales and legends.
Then, there were the small fishing villages filled with humble stone buildings that could clearly tell all kinds of stories of its people through the years. Marzamemi was a charming seaside village in which we spent a wonderful afternoon wandering, walking, enjoying a seafood meal, and just soaking in the sun and the feel of the place. We experienced such a sense of calm and peace eating al fresco, the sea breeze relieving the heat of the day, and gazing at the beautiful water fronting the buildings.
Coming from a modern US city where nothing is more than 150 years old, we were enchanted with the many beautiful styles of Sicily’s historic structures. Most importantly though, we were fascinated and impressed with everything we learned that tied these styles to the history of Sicily, the influence of rulers and religion, and the values and characteristics of its people.
To discover the best of this magnificent island yourself, feel free to contact AT Escapes today to discuss your dream trip to Sicily!
