La Zisa: the magnificent

In one of the oldest and popular quarters in Palermo

there's really a "magnificent" palace as its Arabic name suggests:

The Zisa (Al Aziz )

once private residence of the Norman kings in their private gardens of

the Geonard ( Arabic for Paradise in Earth )

Its one of the best examples

of an astonishing architecture

with a purely Islamic inspiration

the ground floor hall with the fountain

the central hall on the top floor was an open atrium with a breathtaking view

the central

the muquarnas : the miniature stalactite vaults in the niches and windows

today the Zisa home to the Museum of Islamic arts

collecting

metalwork, ceramic

and wooden lattice work (Mushrabirryya)

down below

the view of the Zisa district today

where we can just imagine the perfumes and the luxury vegetation

of its gardens

once also hunting reserve for the Norman kings

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