The Fountain of the Genius of Fieravecchia is a historic fountain located in Piazza Rivoluzione (formerly Fieravecchia) in the ancient quarter of Kalsa in the historic center of

Palermo Palermo ( , ; scn, Palermu , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan ...

, region of Sicily, Italy. The statue of the Genius of Palermo, depicting a symbol of city had been installed here in the 17th-century, but removed by the Bourbon administration after the

Sicilian revolution of 1848 The Sicilian revolution of independence of 1848 ( scn, Rivuluzzioni nnipinnintista siciliana dû 1848) occurred in a year replete with revolutions and popular revolts. It commenced on 12 January 1848, and therefore was the first of the numerous ...

, but after the liberation of Sicily by

Garibaldi Giuseppe Maria Garibaldi ( , ;In his native Ligurian language, he is known as ''Gioxeppe Gaibado''. In his particular Niçard dialect of Ligurian, he was known as ''Jousé'' or ''Josep''. 4 July 1807 – 2 June 1882) was an Italian general, patr ...

in 1860, the fountain and statue, which had become a patriotic symbol, were reunited, and the piazza renamed. The now ''Piazza Rivoluzione'' is a small square at the intersection of Via Aragona, Via Schiavuzzo, Via Piazza Teatro Santa Cecilia, Via Divisi, and Via Garibaldi. It borders on the church of San Carlo dei Milanesi and one block east of both the Palazzo Valguarnera Gangi and the Regio Teatro Santa Cecilia. There are over half a dozen stone monuments depicting the ''Genius of Palermo'' in the city, including another fountain at Villa Giulia. This statue and fountain were installed by Luigi Moncada, Prince of Paterno and Duke of Montalto. The marble font had previously been in the port region, next to a monastery of Discalced Mercederians. The piazza itself was known since the early 13th century as Fieravecchia, and used to host a busy marketplace. Today it is surrounded by restaurants and bars. Iscrizione fontana del genio

The statue is placed atop a mossy mountain. The statue is a sitting impassive king with a crown, allowing a large snake to feed from his breast. At the base of the fountain, a plaque reads: ''This marble/ feared symbol of liberty / removed from the eyes of the people/ by the restless tyranny/ the victorious people restored''. Against the right flank of the church of San Carlo, facing the piazza, a marble plaque reads:''In questa piazza che all'alba del giorno segnato vide adunarsi gl'insorti intorno all'improvvisato tricolore e primi li usi proclamare la liberta e le democratiche constituzioni ambite dai popoli. Oggi celebrandosi il primo centenario del 12 Gennaio 1848 cmoe allora il popolo di palermo accogli e consacra il voto d'un mundo che uscito da piu duro travaglio anel affratellarsi in pui liberi patti''.

''In this square that at the dawn of the assigned day saw the insurgents gather around the improvised tricolor and were the first to proclaim the freedom and democratic constitutions coveted by the peoples. Today celebrating the 1st centenary of January 12, 1848, the people of Palermo welcome and consecrate the vow of a world that, after the hardest labor, yearns to join together in pacts of more freedom.

References

{{coord missing, Italy Buildings and structures in Palermo Fountains in Palermo