Sicily
Sicily
is a land of contrasts: Catholic churches and the Mafia, delicious smelling
food and piles of garbage, peaceful natural beauty and honking, swirling cars
and motorcycles, dilapidated neighborhoods and luxury villas. An ancient island with history dating back to
prehistoric times, Sicily has been ruled over by the Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans,
Vandals, Arabs, and Normans, to name but a few.
Because of the richness of cultures which have passed through it, the
island is also filled with beautiful art and architecture. Although we only had a brief stay in the
northwestern part of the island, we were able to enjoy some of the best the region
has to offer.
On our
first full day in the capital city of Palermo we decided to visit the Palazzo
dei Normanni, the Norman Palace. Wouldn’t
you know it, we arrived at the ticket booth at the same time as a class of high
school students, making the wait in the hot sun to buy tickets long and rather
uncomfortable. Only the Cappella
Palantina was available for viewing that day.
Even waiting outside the chapel, there were mosaics depicting saints and
Biblical scenes decorating the walls.
Little did we know that inside we were to discover a real gem. Luckily for us, the young people in line were
not too interested in the chapel and cleared out within minutes, leaving us practically alone
to examine its extraordinary beauty. Many of the mosaics, especially on
the right side as you face the altar, have been around since the chapel was
created in 1132. Multicolored and shining with gold, mosaics cover the entire
surface of the chapel walls. Old and New Testament stories are
represented: the creation of Adam and Eve and Noah loading his ark with
animals, as well as the four Evangelists, prophets, and Jesus surrounded by
angels blessing the people. An Australian couple pointed out that even
the decoration under each arch was unique. A carved twelfth-century marble
column stands near the pulpit. The sculpted wooden ceiling dates from the
Arab occupation of the city. Seeing the Cappella Palantina was definitely
worth a long wait in the sun.
The
following day we rented a car—quite an anxiety-producing venture for both of
us, given the state of traffic in the city.
A half-hour after leaving the hotel though, with GPS on board, we were
safely out of Palermo, off to explore other parts. Another highlight of our trip to Sicily was a
visit to Segesta. Located southwest of
the capital near the port town of Trapani, this mountaintop spot was settled by
the Trojans five centuries before the Common Era. Somehow the ancient theater and even older
temple have survived through the ages.
The well-preserved temple has thirty-six Doric columns and is really
reminiscent of the Acropolis in Athens; it is believed that this temple was
never completed due to wars of the period.
Its setting allows for beautiful views of it from nearby areas. We missed the sign that mentions the
possibility of buying a ticket for the bus ride from the parking lot to
the
theater and ended up trudging uphill for the better part of an hour in the
sun. The backdrop for the theater is the
sight of the Mediterranean in the distance.
Really lovely as well, though I think riding the bus would have made it
nicer!
the
theater and ended up trudging uphill for the better part of an hour in the
sun. The backdrop for the theater is the
sight of the Mediterranean in the distance.
Really lovely as well, though I think riding the bus would have made it
nicer!
More
next time on Sicilian cuisine.
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