Piazza Pretoria, Palermo

The Piazza Pretorio in Palermo, Italy, is one of Italy’s most striking public squares. It is located just a few meters from the famous Quattro Canti and enclosed on two sides by palaces, and on the third by a Dominican nunnery. The center of the square is dominated by the “Pretoria Fountain,” which was carved by the Florentine sculptor Francesco Camilliani in 1544 originally for a villa in Florence. But the fountain was purchased by the Senate of Palermo in 1573, who were seeking to beautify the city. The fountain and piazza were subsequently nicknamed “della Vergogna” (“of the shame”) because of the many nude statues in the fountain located so close to a nunnery. Buona visita!

 

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