"To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything." So wrote Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe after he arrived at Palermo, the capital of Sicily, in 1787. As the largest province of Italy, Sicily is a volcanic island in the Mediterranean Sea also known as the pearl of the Mediterranean Sea.

China and Italy are the two countries with the largest number of UNESCO world heritage sites and boast rich cultural and tourism resources, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his signed article published in leading Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera ahead of his state visit to the country. As the capital of Sicily, Palermo carries the essence of Sicilian culture. Follow CGTN and discover what treasures the city has.

Palermo Cathedral

The Palermo Cathedral is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Palermo. Due to a long history of additions, alterations and restorations, it is characterized by different architectural styles. The church was erected in 1184 and completed in the 18th century.

The most interesting thing in the church is the twelve zodiac signs on the ground. There are twelve zodiac signs made of marble on both sides of the copper line. It is said that light from the dome of the church shines onto the copper wires and moves between the constellations in different months.

Pretoria Fountain

The Pretoria Fountain is a monumental fountain of Palermo built in 1554. It is located in the heart of the city with more than 20 plaster figures of nude mythological river gods and fairies surrounded.

Between 18th and 19th century, the fountain was considered as a depiction of the corrupt municipality of Palermo. For this reason and because of the nudity of the statues, the square became known as "Piazza della Vergogna" (Square of Shame).   

Mondello 

Mondello is a small borough of Palermo in southern Italy. It is characterized by a sandy bay that connects Monte Gallo and Mount Pellegrino, with a coastline stretching 1.5 kilometers. There are all kinds of food stalls, bars and small restaurants by the seaside. You can also find delicious ice cream in the central square of Mondello.

Quattro Canti 

Quattro Canti, officially known as Piazza Vigliena, located at the crossing of the two principal streets in Palermo, the Via Maqueda and the Corso Vittorio Emanuele.

The four buildings are all symmetrical in Baroque style, and each building has three floors. From the bottom to the top floor, there are fountain sculptures representing the four seasons, four Spanish Kings of Sicily and four guardians of Palermo.

Norman Palace

The Norman Palace is the oldest royal residence in Europe located in the highest place of Palermo between the depressions of the rivers Kemonia and Papireto. The palace was the seat of the Kings of Sicily after the Normans invaded Sicily in 1072. Currently, it is the seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly.

The Norman Palace is a wonderful example of the Arab-Norman-Byzantine style architecture, a fusion of three styles that became popular in Sicily in the 12th century and is now an important feature of Sicilian culture.

(Cover: Night view of the Palermo Cathedral in Palermo City, Sicily, Italy. /VCG Photo)