PALER MO, an archiepiscopal city, important seaport, and the capital of the island of Sicily; capital also of the province of the same name, and along with Naples, Rome, Milan, and Turin, one of the five most populous cities in the kingdom of Italy, is situated on the n. coast of the island, 135 in. by water w. of Messina; lat. 38° 6' n., long. 13° 20' east. It stands in a highly-cultivated and fertile plain called La Conca d' Oro (The Golden Shell), commands a beautiful view of the gulf of Palermo on which it stands, and is backed toward the interior by ridges of mountains. In shape the town is an oblong parallelogram, the direction of its length being from s.w. to n.e. It is divided into four quadrangular parts by two great streets, the beautiful Via Vittorio Emauuele, formerly the Via Toledo or Caesar°, and the Strada Nuota or Naegueda, which cross each other at right angles in the middle of the city. It is upward of four m. in circum ference, is surrounded by walls pierced with 12 gates and flanked with bastions, and is defended by several batteries. The houses are balconied, flat-roofed, and have glass doors instead of windows. The streets, besides the two main thoroughfares already mentioned, are generally well laid out, and there are several fine promenades, of which the fatnons Marina, extending along the shore, on the line of the ancient fortifications, and bordered by the palaces of the nobles, is the most magnificent. Palermo contains 60 parish churches; 8 abbeys; 71 monasteries and convents, to which belong from 20,000 to 30,000 monks and nuns; and, besides these, 19 oratories. Under the churches is counted the cathedral—the church of St. Rosalia. At the intersection of the two princi pal streets there is a large octagonal space or piazza, lined with palaces, and adorned with statues and marble fountains. The royal palace is a huge pile of buildings, with a splendid chapel, built in 1129, and contains many pillars of rare workmanship and rich mosaics with Arabic inscriptions. The cathedral is a fine edifice, originally Gothic, but to which incongruous Greek additions have been made, is adorned with marble columns and statues, and contains monuments of the emperor Frederick II. and of king Roger, the founder of the Norman monarchy iu Sicily. Among the principal public institutions of Palermo are the university, an academy of arts and sciences, a medical academy, an institution for arts and antiquities, a beautiful and extensive public garden, public libra ries, theaters, etc. Palermo is an archbishop's see, the residence. of the governor of
the island, and the seat of the supreme courts. Manufactures of silks, cottons, oil cloth, leather, gloves, etc., are carried on. The harbor is formed by a mole, 1300 ft. in length, on which there is a light-house and battery. Vessels of 700,000 tons enter and clear the port annually, and the imports amount in value to near £1,000,000, and the exports to about the same sum. Pop. '71 of Palermo with suburbs, 186,400; of com mune, 219,838.
The environs of Palermo are interesting as well as picturesque, and embrace many pleasant villas and noble mansions. North-west of the city is Monte Pellegrino, the Eircte of the ancients, an abrupt rocky mass, in which there is a grotto or cave, in which Santa Rosalia, a young Norman princess, lived a life of religious retirement. In Pal ermo, Santa Rosalia is esteemed more highly than even Santa Maria; the festival in her honor lasts from the 9th to the 13th of July, and is the most important festival held on the island. During its celebration the city is illuminated, the streets are gay and brilliant, and there is an immense influx of strangers from the vicinity. But the chief feature of the festival is the procession to the cave. An immense silver image of the saint is borne thither on a wagon, 70 ft. long, 30 ft. broad, and 80 ft. high. Its form resembles that of a Roman galley, with seats for a choir. The wagon is drawn by 56 mules, covered with the gayest trappings, and driven by 28 postilions.
Palermo, the ancient Panormus, was originally a Phenician colony, but had become dependency of Carthage before the name occurs in history. With the exception of a short time about 276 Et.c., when it fell into the hands of the Greeks, it continued to be the headquarters of the Carthaginian power in Sicily, until it was taken by the Romans during the first Punic war (254 u.e.), when it became one of the principal naval stations of the Romans. The name Panormus is derived from the excellent anchorage (Gr. her mos) in the hay; but the Phenician name found on coins is Machanath, meaning "a camp." The Vandals, and afterwards the Arabs, made it the capital of the island, and after the Norman conquest it continued to be the scat of the king cf Sicily. It still remained the royal residence under the Aragonese kings; but the court was removed after Sicily became united to the then kingdom of Naples. Sec SICILY.