The Quattro Canti, officially known as Piazza Vigliena, is the theatrical heart of Palermo and one of the most iconic examples of Sicilian Baroque urban design. Created in the early 17th century at the crossroads of Via Maqueda and Corso Vittorio Emanuele, this perfectly symmetrical square was conceived as a grand civic stage, framing the city’s historic centre with harmonious geometry. Each of the four curved façades rises in three tiers, decorated with fountains representing the four seasons, statues of Spanish kings, and the patron saints of Palermo’s ancient quarters. Sunlight moves across the façades throughout the day, giving the square a dynamic, almost theatrical atmosphere that has fascinated travellers for centuries. Surrounded by palaces, churches, and lively streets, Quattro Canti remains a symbolic gateway between the old and new city, a place where architecture, history, and daily life converge in a uniquely Palermitan rhythm.
Palermo ItalyQuattro Canti, officially Piazza Vigliena, marks the central crossroads of Palermo at the intersection of Via Maqueda and Corso Vittorio Emanuele (Cassaro), dividing the historic city into its four ancient quarters: Kalsa, Seralcadio, Albergaria, and Castellammare. This Baroque octagonal square anchors the heart of the old town, surrounded by its iconic curved facades adorned with fountains, statues of Spanish kings, seasons, and patron saints. Just steps away lie key landmarks including Piazza Pretoria with its grand fountain, the churches of Santa Caterina and San Giuseppe dei Teatini, San Cataldo and La Martorana in Piazza Bellini, Teatro Massimo to the north, and quick walks to Palermo Cathedral, Norman Palace, and Ballarò market.
Archaeological Museum Antonio Salinas
Palermo
Palazzo Abatellis
Palermo
Modern Art Gallery Sant'Anna
Palermo
Sicilian Ethnographic Museum Giuseppe Pitrè
Palermo
Museo internazionale delle marionette Antonio Pasqualino
Palermo
Rooms at the Museum of Majolica Genius
Palermo
Museo Diocesano Palermo
Palermo
Pinacoteca Villa Zito
Palermo
Museo del Risorgimento Palermo
Palermo
No Mafia Memorial
Palermo
Museo Falcone‑Borsellino presso il Tribunale di Palermo
Palermo
Ecomuseo Mare Memoria Viva
Palermo
Museum of Geology “G. G. Gemmellaro
Palermo
Città delle Illusioni
Palermo
Palazzo Asmundo
Palermo
Palazzo Butera
Palermo
Palazzo Alliata Villafranca
Palermo
Palazzo dei Normanni
Palermo
Teatro Massimo di Palermo
Palermo
Teatro Politeama Garibaldi
Palermo
Teatro Biondo Stabile
Palermo
Teatro Santa Cecilia
Palermo
Teatro Libero
Palermo
RizzutoGallery
Palermo
Francesco Pantaleone Arte contemporanea
Palermo
Palazzo della Cuba
Palermo
Zisa Palace
Palermo
Palazzo Chiaramonte-Steri
Palermo
Castello di Maredolce
Palermo
Palazzo Gravina di Comitini
Palermo
Palazzo Celestri di Santacroce
Palermo
Palermo Cathedral
Palermo
Basilica della Magione
Palermo
Church of Jesus of Casa Professa
Palermo
Church of Saint Mary 'dell'Ammiraglio'
Palermo
Chiesa e Monastero di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria
Palermo
Church of Saint Cataldo
Palermo
Church of Saint John of the Hermits
Palermo
Chiesa di San Domenico
Palermo
Church of the Immaculate Conception
Palermo
Chiesa del Carmine Maggiore
Palermo
Fontana Pretoria
Palermo
Porta Nuova
Palermo
Porta Felice
Palermo
Ponte dell'Ammiraglio
Palermo
Albero Falcone
Palermo
Orto Botanico di Palermo
Palermo
Parco Piersanti Mattarella
Palermo
Giardino Garibaldi
Palermo
Parco d'Orleans
Palermo
Giardino Rosa Balistreri
Palermo
Giardino dei Giusti
Palermo
Giardino della Zisa
Palermo
Parco di Villa Tasca
Palermo
Planetario di Palermo
Palermo
Palermo Astronomical Observatory
Palermo