Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(Corso Vittorio Emanuele; 8.30-11am & 6-8pm)
In the southwestern corner of the Quattro Canti is
the Chiesa di San Giuseppe dei Teatini, topped by a soaring cupola. The monumental in-
terior is baroque at its brashest, and has been lovingly restored after it suffered substantial
damage during WWII.
Chiesa del Gesù
CHURCH
(Via del Ponticello; 7-11.30am & 5-6.30pm Mon-Sat, 7am-12.30pm Sun, closed afternoons Aug)
Also known
as Casa Professa, Palermo's recently restored Jesuit church was built in the 16th century
and its interior was decorated over the next 200 years with no cost (or inclination towards
ostentation) spared. It's a veritable blizzard of baroque, with inlaid marble and sculptures
galore.
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Albergheria
Once inhabited by Norman court officials, Albergheria has been a poor and ramshackle
quarter since the end of WWII - indeed, you can still see wartime bomb damage scarring
some buildings. The area is now home to a growing immigrant population that has revital-
ised the streets with its aspirations. It is also the location of Palermo's busiest street mar-
ket, the Mercato di Ballarò. Far and away the top tourist draws here are the Palazzo dei
Normanni and its exquisite chapel, Cappella Palatina, both at the far western edge of the
neighbourhood.
