Via Maqueda, also known as "''Strada Nuova''" (''New Street''), is an important street 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 ...

. Together with the Cassaro, it represents the main axis of the historic centre and provides access to a number of important sights, including Teatro Massimo and

Fontana Pretoria The Praetorian Fountain (Italian: Fontana Pretoria) is a monumental fountain located in Piazza Pretoria in the historic center of Palermo, region of Sicily, Italy. The fountain dominates the piazza on the west flank of the church of Santa Caterin ...

. The street is named after the Viceroy of Sicily

Bernardino de Cárdenas y Portugal, Duque de Maqueda Bernardino is a name of Italian, Hispanic, or Portuguese origin, which can refer to: Given name * Bernardino Baldi (1533–1617), Italian mathematician and writer *Bernardino Bertolotti (born 1547), Italian composer and instrumentalist *Bernard ...

History

In the late sixteenth century the opening of the street was decided. It was conceived as an axis destined to cross the most ancient road of Palermo, the millennial ''Cassaro''. The creation of the street addressed the need of a more sliding traffic and the requests of the nobility, eager to have new spaces for its buildings. The work was designed in 1577 and completed in 1599, during the period of the Viceroy Maqueda. On 24 July 1600 the street was inaugurated.Ricciardelli, Fabrizio (2008), ''I luoghi del sacro: il sacro e la città fra Medioevo ed età moderna: atti del convegno, Georgetown University, Center for the study of Italian history and culture, Fiesole, 12-13 giugno 2006''. David Brown Book Company (2008). p. 233.

Structure

The street is perfectly straight from Piazza Verdi, near Teatro Massimo, to Porta di Vicari, near the Palermo Centrale railway station. With the Cassaro, Via Maqueda forms the famous Baroque intersection known as Quattro Canti (Piazza Villena). The two streets are also called "''Croce Barocca''" (''Baroque Cross'').

Transport

During daylight hours, the street is pedestrian in the stretch from Piazza Verdi to Quattro Canti.

Places of interest

References

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External links