Once, this space was called Piano del Palazzo. Can you imagine bullfights happening right where we stand in Villa Bonanno? This square faced the Royal Palace. Citizens gathered here for all sorts of reasons. Bullfights were especially popular during Spanish rule. Later, it became Piazza della Vittoria. This honored the 1820 revolt where Palermitans defeated the Bourbon army. They did lose Palermo again months later.
Now, we are at Villa Bonanno. This beautiful park sits near the Cathedral and Porta Nuova. It’s a green lung in the city. Mayor Pietro Bonanno started this project in 1904. He wanted to improve the historic center. He hired Giuseppe Damiani Almejda for the design. This architect also designed the Politeama Theater.
Sadly, Pietro Bonanno died in February 1905. He never saw his park finished. Villa Bonanno features manicured lawns and tall palm trees. Sculptures made by great artists adorn the park. You can see the bust of Pietro Bonanno himself. Domenico Costantino created it. Ernesto Basile designed its base. Other monuments honor Gaetano Bucceri and Lieutenant Mancino.
Notice the monument to Philip V. Nunzio Morello created it in the 19th century. But the design dates back to 1661. Carlo D’Aprile and the Serpotta family contributed to it.
Here lies a surprise. Underneath us are remains of Roman houses. These mosaics were discovered by accident in the late 1800s. Workers were making improvements for a royal visit. The mosaics are from a patrician’s home. Back then, they removed the mosaics for display at the Palermo National Museum. Today it is known as the Salinas Museum. Modern archaeologists prefer to leave such finds in place.
Excavations continued when they transformed the piazza into a garden. Antonino Salinas led these digs. Villa Bonanno has two Roman villas separated by a road. The first villa dates to the 3rd century AD. The second is older from the 2nd century BC. It shows Greek and Roman styles.
Imagine dining rooms and marble fountains once here. These mosaics tell stories. They bring the past to life. Besides the villas, there is also a necropolis. It likely came after the earthquake of 365 AD. There are also wells and grain pits from the late 1500s.
Many statues and fountains are lost. However, Villa Bonanno lets us glimpse life in Palermo over 1700 years ago. Take a moment to appreciate this blend of nature, art, and ancient history.