Quattro Canti

The story

Its official name is Piazza Vigliena, after the viceroy who started construction in 1608; the design is by Giulio Lasso, completed in the following years by Mariano Smiriglio. It marks the crossing of the Cassaro, the city’s oldest street, and Via Maqueda, opened at the end of the 16th century.

The four concave facades are arranged in three tiers: fountains with the seasons at the bottom, kings of Spain in the middle, and at the top the patron saints of the four quarters, Cristina, Ninfa, Oliva and Agata. Each corner stands for one historic district.

It was also called the Theatre of the Sun, because at every hour of the day at least one facade is lit.

Why it is worth it

Stand at the centre and turn slowly: the four facades close you in an open-air room, and from each side a street runs straight to one of the city gates. Look up to see how the light moves from one corner to the next. This is where you get your bearings in Palermo; everything else starts from here.