Page 117 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

La Kalsa

La Gancia Mon–Sat 9.30am–noon & 3–6pm, Sun 10am–12.30pm • Orto Botanico Daily 9am–dusk • €5
The Galleria Regionale stands at the edge of the neighbourhood of La Kalsa (from the

Arabic khalisa, meaning “pure”), one of the oldest quarters in Palermo, originally laid
out by the Saracens and heavily bombed during World War II. It’s still a little on the
rough side, with some unkempt squares and alleys, although the area is showing some
signs of gradual gentrification, with the opening of new bars, restaurants and some
chic B&Bs.

There’s more work by the Gagini family (sculpted fragments and reliefs) in the

fifteenth-century church of La Gancia – or Santa Maria degli Angeli – next door to the
gallery on Via Alloro. To escape La Kalsa and the city noise, walk a few minutes
along Via Lincoln to the eighteenth-century gardens of Villa Giulia. There’s a
children’s train ride, plus bandstand, deer and ducks, while the Orto Botanico, next to
the park, dates from 1795 and features tropical plants from all over the world.

Santa Maria dello Spasimo
Piazza Kalsa • Mon–Wed & Fri–Sun 8am–1pm & 4.30–6pm • 091 616 1486

The former church and convent of Santa Maria dello Spasimo is semi-ruined and
roofless – and all the more romantic for it. None other than Raphael painted Lo
Spasimo di Sicilia for the church, installed here in 1520 (though now in the Prado in

Madrid). Since then, the church has been variously used as a theatre, barracks, plague
hospital and rubbish tip; recently it has served as one of the city’s most popular and
atmospheric concert venues, but is currently undergoing restoration (call for an
update).

La Magione

Piazza Magione • Mon–Sat 9.30am–noon & 3–6.15pm • Donation requested

La Kalsa’s main highlight is the lovely church of La Magione, standing in isolation on
Piazza Magione and approached through a pretty palm-lined drive and garden. A fine
example of Arab-Norman architecture, it was originally built in 1151 for the
Cistercians, but given to the Teutonic knights as their headquarters by Henry VI in
1197. The cloister resembles that at Monreale, and houses a rare Judaic tombstone re-

carved into a basin for holy water. In the room between the cloister and the chapel,
there’s a fresco of the crucifixion and – far more interesting and rare – a plaster
preparation of the fresco, opposite. It’s the only example of a fresco model in Sicily,
and its near-mathematical sketch lines show the care and detailed planning that went

into the creation of such works.