Born from a vision of a “Greater Palermo” the Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico Paolo Giaccone stands before you. Its story began not in a single moment but in a series of legislative acts in 1924. These acts aimed at improving Palermo’s public works. The Policlinico was conceived as more than just a hospital. Professor Antonio Zanca designed a complex of about ten pavilions. It was meant to be an inseparable unit of teaching scientific research and medical care.
Construction began between 1939 and 1943. Professor Filippo Guccione the dean of the medical faculty oversaw the project. His work laid the groundwork for what the Policlinico would become. The hospital’s initial design reflected a common architectural style for hospitals of that era. The building utilized a pavilion structure. This was often adopted in the past for the construction of hospital facilities.
The Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico Paolo Giaccone officially gained legal autonomy in 2000. This followed its establishment as a university hospital in 1996. But the Policlinico’s name holds a poignant story. It’s named after Paolo Giaccone a professor of forensic medicine. A victim of the Mafia he was murdered in 1982. His death occurred tragically right here on the grounds of the hospital itself. He was killed for refusing to alter a fingerprint report. This report implicated the notorious mob boss Giuseppe Marchese. Marchese was responsible for the “Christmas Massacre” in Bagheria. This event claimed four lives in 1981.
Today the Policlinico Paolo Giaccone is a vast complex. It houses numerous departments. These include departments of emergency medicine surgery neurosensory and motor functions. It also includes departments of maternal and infant care clinical and specialized medicine emerging pathologies and continuous care. There’s oncology diagnostic imaging and laboratory diagnostics. Finally there are central hospital services.
A major modernization project is underway. It will fundamentally transform the hospital. The project includes substantial renovations of several major building blocks. These blocks include those focused on anesthesia resuscitation general and emergency surgery. The project also includes renovations to the ophthalmology department and the pharmacology legal medicine and biochemistry buildings. The project will modernize the maternal-infant department. New additions include an improved emergency room a new service center and an underground technological center. A key feature is the addition of a network of tunnels. These will link the different buildings improving patient and material transfer.
The Policlinico Paolo Giaccone is more than bricks and mortar. It’s a symbol of resilience. It’s a testament to the ongoing struggle for justice and the commitment to healing both bodies and spirits. It stands as a legacy of Paolo Giaccone’s courage. A legacy that continues to inspire hope in the face of adversity. It remains a vital center for medical training and patient care in Palermo.