Palermo buildings, Sicilian architecture, Architects Sicily, Italian design property

Palermo Architecture

Key Contemporary Architecture Designs + Buildings in Sicily, southern Italy

post updated 16 February 2024

We’ve selected what we feel are the key examples of Palermo Buildings, Sicily. We aim to include Sicilian projects that are either of top quality or interesting, or ideally both.

Compared to major Italian cities such as Rome or Venice the capital city of Sicily is much less touristy, for us that was mostly an advantage but might not be to everyone’s taste.

Buildings in Palermo

There is not much contemporary architecture in the city, but buildings of note are an intervention by Carlo Scarpa and a department store on Via Roma.

La Rinascente – contemporary Palermo architecture:

Palermo is a well-preserved ancient city founded in 734 BC and once part of the Roman Empire.

We cover completed Sicilian buildings, new building designs, architectural exhibitions and architecture competitions across Palermo and Sicily. The focus is on contemporary buildings in Sicily but information on traditional buildings is also welcome.

e-architect directors Adrian Welch and Isabelle Lomholt meet the Mayor of Palermo, Leoluca Orlando, at Villa Niscemi – Leoluca Orlando (1947) was also mayor of the city in 1985–1990 and 1993–2000:

Buildings in Palermo – panoramic views south across the Old City rooftops:

We have 2 pages of Palermo Architecture selections with links to many individual project pages.

Palermo Architecture : key buildings (this page).

Palermo Photos : general photos around the city

Palermo Buildings

Palermo Architecture – latest additions to this page, arranged alphabetically:

All photos are copyright Adrian Welch / Isabelle Lomholt, taken in July 2013:

Ballaro Market – located in the Old City quarter of Albergheria, this is the largest and most captivating of the four markets (one for each of Palermo’s quarters), we visited all of them!:

Casa Vacanze Sant’Anna – located on Via Sant’Anna in the Old City quarter of La Kalsa:

Cattedrale – the cathedral, located in the Old City quarter of Capo:

Chiesa la Kalsa – church buildings, located in the Old City quarter of la Kalsa:

Galleria Regionale della Sicilia – Regional Gallery, located at Via Alloro, 4, in the Old City quarter of la Kalsa:

Cattedrale – the cathedral, located in the Old City quarter of Capo:

Grand Hotel Et des Palmes – historic luxury hotel in Palermo, located on Via Roma in the new City, west of the old town:

Chiesa del Gesù – The Church of the Gesu, one of the most important Baroque churches in the Italian city of Palermo and the interior of Sicily, located on just north of Ballaro Market in the Old City quarter of Albergheria. Of all the churches we visited in Sicily this one’s interior stood out the most for us, very unusual black and white cystalline decoration throughout, mesmerising:

La Magione – Basilica SS.Trinità La Magione, located in the Old City quarter of la Kalsa, south of Via Roma, just be aware that this area is rather run down and off the beaten track – the north facade features some sophisticated modelling. A key Palermo building close by is the ruin of La Spasimo to the north:

La Martorana – located centrally, just east of Piazza Preoria in the Old City quarter of Albergheria:

La Rinascente – contemporary Palermo architecture, rare to find this in the city centre, a department store located centrally on the north side of Via Roma (at No. 289), north west of the Quattro Canti in the Old City quarter of Vucciria:

Liceo Classico Vittorio Emanuele II – located just north of the cathedral, overlooking the square, located in the Old City quarter of Capo:

Santa Maria dello Spasimo or Lo Spasimo, is a large ruinous church building located in the Old City quarter of la Kalsa, south of Via Roma, please be aware that this area is rather run down and off the beaten track. A key Palermo building close by is Basilica SS.Trinità La Magione to the south:

Palazzo Chiaramonte – large historic building with interventions by world-famous Italian Modern architect Carlo Scarpa. Palazzo Chiaramonte-Steri is a historical palace building begun in the early 14th century, and was the residence of the powerful Sicilian lord Manfredi III Chiaramonte located on the east side of Giardini Garibaldi (at Piazza Marina, 61) in the Old City quarter of la Kalsa:

Palazzo dei Normanni – the Royal Palace of Palermo was the seat of the Kings of Sicily during the Norman domination and served afterwards as the main seat of power for the subsequent rulers of Sicily, located in the Old City quarter of Albergheria:

Palazzo delle Poste di Palermo – The Post Office building in Palermo is located on the Via Roma, north west of Quattro Canti. It is a large rationalist building designed by architect Angiolo Mazzoni in the early 1920s. The style of the building is typical of the fascist period whilst the interiors are futuristic, one of the few intact examples of the time, with frescoes by Benedetta Cappa, wife of Marinetti. Of note is the large elliptical staircase, over 9m in diameter:

Holy Cross Anglican Church – located on the north side of Via Roma:

Palermo Buildings – general architectural photos across the city.

Beutiful courtyard off Via Vittorio Emanuele:

Faceted corners in the new city – Italian rationalist and traditional:

Piazza Politeama – the major civic space in the new city, west of the old town:

Eastern entrance to Via Roma, ceremonial frame to the axis as it faces the central station building

Buildings on the promenade in la Kalsa – in the Old City quarter of la Kalsa:

Church Buildings in Palermo – Old City architecture:

Palermo flats:

Galleria d’Arte Moderna – Modern Art Gallery on Via Sant’Anna, la Kalsa:

Palermo Modern Buildings:

Palermo occupied building – very central, large empty building (does anyone know what is happening here, anarchist occupation to highlight a decaying building?):

Palermo railway station:

Palermo waterfront:

Piazza Pretoria – also known as the square of Shame is at the limits of the district of Kalsa, near the corner of Cassaro with Via Maqueda, a few metres from the Quattro Canti, the exact center of the historic city of Palermo:

La Piazza San Domenico – historic square in the neighborhood of La Loggia:

Piazza Politeama – formally known as Piazza Ruggero Settimo:

Quattro Canti, officially known as Piazza Vigliena, is a Baroque square that marks the centre of Palermo:

San Domenico – large and beautiful church building facing a historic square in the neighborhood of La Loggia:

Galleria d’Arte Moderna – Modern Art Gallery on Via Sant’Anna in the Old City quarter of la Kalsa:

San Giuseppe dei Teatini – large church building located on Corso Vittorio Emanuele near the Quattro Canti. It is considered one of the most outstanding examples of the Sicilian Baroque in Palermo:

Chiesa di Santa Caterina – begun in 1566 and completed in 1596. The dome and was added in the mid-eighteenth century. This historic building faces two squares: Piazza Pretoria to the south and Piazza Bellini to the east. It has a richly decorated Counter-Reformation interior. Paid entry only at time of writing

Former church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli, now the Free Theatre, located in the southern corner of Giardini Garibaldi. A key building on the other side of the gardens is Palazzo Chiaramonte-Steri:

Chiesa Sant’Antonio Abate allo Steri – located on the north side of Via Roma very close to the Quattro Canti

La Chiesa di Sant’Ignazio all’Olivella – This deligthful Baroque church building was built between 1598 and 1622 by architect Antonino Muttone; the dome was completed in 1732.

Stadio Renzo Barbera – this football stadium was inaugurated in 1932 and named Stadio Littorio in homage to Fascism:

Teatro Massimo – The Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele is an opera house and opera company located on the Piazza Verdi in Palermo, Sicily. It was dedicated to King Victor Emanuel II. It was designed by architect Giovanni Battista Filippo Basile (1874–1880), then after his death by his son Ernesto Basile (1891–1897). It has become famous for the scene shot on the massive flight of stairs for the Godfather Part 3 film. However it should be noted that The Teatro Massimo is the largest theatre in Italy (and the third largest opera house in Europe) and can be seen (if at typical roof level or above) across huge swathes of the city due to its height.

Teatro Politeama Garibaldi – located on Piazza Ruggero Settimo (usually called Piazza Politeama):

Università degli Studi di Palermo – The University of Palermo was founded in 1806. It is organized in 12 Faculties. This historic central building is lcoated on Via Maqueda just east of Quattro Canti: