Amazing Stucco Decoration In Palermo Churches

      The city of Palermo Sicily is rich with historic landmarks, art, and architecture.  Two of the lesser known but stunning sights are the Oratorio of Santa Cita, and the Oratorio of San Domenico.  Both are in the historic center, and no more than fifty meters apart.  Both were decorated in Stucco by Giacomo Serpotta, from the late 1600s through early 1700s.  Serpotta was able to create incredible depth with his technique.  Here are photos from Santa Cita....

Pews along the sides are walnut with inlay

Amazing marble floor

     

  Here are photos from Oratorio of San Domenico....

Patience

Peace

      Here is a bust of Serpotta.  Born and raised in Palermo from humble beginnings, he developed a stucco technique that is unsurpassed....

      We also visited the Church of San Domenico.  It has a very ornate chapel of San Giuseppe, and the burial vault of Giovanni Falcone, the judge whose car was blown up by the mafia in 1992.  This led to the movement across Sicily and Italy to reject the mafia....

San Giuseppe

People leave notes thanking him for his sacrifice

      From your totally impressed travelers, Joe and Chris.

      Click on any image to enlarge.

Three Busy Days in Palermo

      We spent three days and nights in Palermo at a B&B.  Friends Carmelo and Rosaria, and their son Sergio live there, and they kept us very busy.  Carmelo took Joe to an engine museum at the University of Palermo, and two days later to an antique car show.  In between, on Saturday night, we were invited to ten-year-old Sergio's birthday party at Al Magnum restaurant.  Photos from the engine museum....

Airplane radial engine

Fiat ship engine

Lamborghini engine

A cut-away engine

     Of WNY interest, the museum has a boat engine made in the 1920s at Niagara Motors Corporation in Dunkirk, NY....

           Photos from Sergio's birthday party, with family and friends....

Carmelo's mother, and Rosaria with her mother and sister

With Sergio and his gift, a Lego Ferrari

        The Sunday Car Show....

     At late lunch on Sunday afternoon, after a very busy weekend, a tired Rosaria and Sergio...

     We were exhausted too!  Prescription?.... a couple days of rest from vacation!

     From your weary travelers, Joe and Chris.

     Click on any image to enlarge.

     

     

Fiumara d'Arte - Stream of Art....Monumental Outdoor Sculpture

     We spent a day driving through the Nebrodi mountains of Sicily, following the route of the monumental sculptures of the Fiumara d'Arte, the Stream of Art.  The roads, the views, the weather all were spectacular, and the art was pretty cool too.  The sculptures were created from the mid 1980s through the early 90s.  They are spread out over a large area of remote and twisting mountain roads.  We were able to see most of them.  Here are the sculptures we saw....

    Monument to A Dead Poet, or Window on the Sea....

        Matter Could Not Be There.... This one rests just below one of the Autostrada A20 bridges, which is a sculpture in itself....

The sculpture can be seen lower right

As seen from coast highway SS113

    

A Curve Thrown Behind Time....  Located on the curve of a new road, where an old road intersects

This Mini Stonehenge was Across the Road

Very Typical Sheep on the Road

     

    Mediterranean Energy....

    

    Arianna's Maze....

She can enter...

But will she find her way out...?

    

    The Pyramid on the 38th Parallel....

    

    A Map of the Sculptures, with Italian Descriptions....

    A fun day was enjoyed by your Mountain Driving, Art Loving travelers, Joe and Chris

    Click on any image to enlarge.