Sicilians build things like they will live forever and eat like they will die tomorrow.

(Plato)

There may be hundreds of proclaimed architectural icons around the world that leap to the eye for their masterful artistry, but nothing quite stirs the heart and soul as the splendor and grandiosity of Sicily’s magnificent cityscape. I left my mind empty of any unperturbed expectations aboard the cruise from Naples to Palermo. But, when the sun began to rise behind the mountain range surrounding the Tyrrhenian Sea upon my disembarkation, my heartbeat found its weakness. The sight was breathtaking beyond words, for there, I was to begin my steady scrutiny of a mystifying island that has left its mark for 10,000 years.

Palermo, capital of Sicily, took its name from the Phoenicians, meaning “grand harbour,” or “fit place to land in.” The Port of Palermo itself boasts proudly of its enormous size, and the strip of ancient buildings fronting the boats ashore, at once, previewed the monumental architecture I was about to delve into.

Entering the city founded in 734 B.C. brought me running chills as rows and rows of old, truly timeworn, and black-stained buildings occupied my view. Cliché as it sounds, the moment felt like being in the raw scenes from The Godfather movie, as utterly antiquated as they appeared on screen. Turrets, huge wooden doors with heavy iron latches, marble arches, Gothic windows, Baroque statues, and intricate moldings shone stoically, yet seemingly putrefied in their vulnerable state.

I first explored the compelling Teatro Massimo Palermo, the foremost major theatre ever built in Italy and the third largest in Europe. It dates back to 1875 when construction was commenced by architect Giovan Battista Basile. Roman columns, two Art Nouveau iron kiosks at the center of the square, and the imposing Greek portico at the entrance visibly shower this exceptional edifice with a potpourri of architectural styles. Furthermore, the Sala Grande inside glitters with opulent Baroque elements.

The cultural syncretism of Palermo (and Sicily in general) is attributed to its long years of countless foreign rule. Having struggled with a birthmark repetitiously re-carved for over 2,700 years, Palermo was colonised by two Greek colonies between the 8th and 7th centuries B.C.. Then, it became a part of the Roman Empire for over a thousand years. Later, the Arabs dominated the city until 1072. The Norman conquest with its Christian doctrines took over until 1194, which involved numerous battles. After the reign of the German emperor, the throne passed on to the French house, which lost to the Aragonese of Spain in 1282. The Napoleonic period merged Sicily with Naples. It was not until 1861 when the island was appropriately established as the Kingdom of Sicily.

This motley coat of tastes and colours explains the richness of the people’s lifestyle and architecture. Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Byzantine, Arab, Norman, French, Catalan, Art Nouveau (Liberty Style), and the modern mode paint the entire terrain.

A few blocks from Teatro Massimo, the gripping Quattro Canti (Four Corners) intersection of four palaces at Piazza Palermo unfold their ornamental Baroque facades. Their construction is owed to the Spanish dominion in the 17th century. Therefore, the square is also named Piazza Vigilena after the Spanish viceroy de Villena. Standing before the four buildings, I cross-referenced their many similarities: the concave façades, division of columns, decorative fountains, and placements of statues of Spanish kings and patron saints outside the windows. I learned the corners were also called Teatro del Sole or the Sun Theatre because they are illuminated by the sun all day. Further, the four facades depict the four seasons: spring (south-southwest), summer (west-northwest), autumn (north-northeast) and winter (east-southeast). I could not help gazing closely at the carvings, especially the finely crafted fountain basins representing Palermo’s four rivers. They were absolutely enthralling.

The Fontana Pretoria, epitome of Renaissance Italy, just next to the Quattro Canti is, of course, unmissable. A truly remarkable masterpiece in white marble, the fountain was built in the 16th century, completely adorned by statues of monsters, harpies, sirens and tritons, reflective of mythological creatures. Also jutting out are symbols of the four seasons and the twelve Olympian gods. The controversial nude figures were said to have been created as a cry of corruption in Palermo during that era; therefore, giving the name Piazza della Vergogna or Square of Shame. Behind stands the towering dome of Chiesa di San Giuseppe dei Teatini.

Strong Arab-Norman influences sweep through the Chiesa di San Cataldo, a few steps from Fontana Pretoria. Inside, Byzantine spolia columns fuse with the marvelous Islamic inlaid mosaic flooring. The Palazzo Reale or Palazzo dei Normanni further down the street, likewise, radiates with Arab-Norman embellishments mixed with Roman and Byzantine.

More eclectic architecture surfaces in one of Palermo’s most important structures, the Palermo Cathedral, nearby Quattro Canti along Via Vittorio Emmanuele. Erected in 1184, it is, in fact, an archetype of contradiction, as it was the previous location of a Byzantine basilica that was later replaced by a mosque built by the Arabs. Thereafter, the structure was reconverted to a Christian church by the Norman settlement. Hence, much of the design imbues Norman features, such as the towers. Also noticeable are the Gothic portal, Renaissance porch, and Gothic-Catalan south portico and three arcades.

Naturally, Palermo would not be what it is without the sundry odours, flavours and colours of its character-filled streets and markets. Cream, yellow, and beige stained exteriors, scarred with black smoke, and iron-grill balconies never seemed to have diminished since the colonial years. Food stands selling the local arancine (meat-stuffed rice balls), cannoli (fried pastry dough), panelle e crocchè (pancakes made from chickpea flour), sfinciuni (Sicilian pizza bread), and other mouth-watering delights keep you energized and hungry for more of Sicily’s complex lavishness. You may be caught in the frenzy of a man in an African gown, curious nuns whispering in a street corner, a businessman walking in a dapper suit with a leather briefcase, running children, two old men in black hats smoking cigars, or stout grannies with oversized shopping bags. I sneaked through darker and narrower alleys, and the temptation to take caution was overwhelming, where chaos and disarray seem to be the neighborhood’s definitive trademarks.

If you’re craving for a bit of fresh sea air, a short spin to the Mondello coast in the outskirts proves revitalising. Age-old architecture still prevails with the 15th century towers and pastel-hued Liberty-style fishing village homes. There is much to know (and not) of the secrets behind Palermo’s obscure shadows. But, for now, it is enough to bathe in its inexhaustible presence and intoxicating pleasures, and perhaps, one day return to them.