The Maredolce park falls within the Parco Vecchio (Old Park), in the southern countryside of the Palermo plain, and is home to the Favara castle. The origin of the castle is controversial, however, as it may have been a new building commissioned by Roger or simply a restoration of pre-existing archi...

The Scibene palace, probably built during the reign of Roger II, is located in Palermo's Altarello di Baida district, in the western part of the city. Despite its current poor condition, it was originally equipped with fishponds and hammām baths. Its architectural layout is similar to that of the P...

The Menani Palace is mentioned in the sources but has not been identified. The pseudo Ugo Falcando already mentions the fertile and green plain of Palermo and its products in the 12th century. In the Epistle ad Petrum, there are also references to the crown of mountains that surrounds the flat area ...

The Cubula, or little Cuba, was a pavilion in the Genoard park. Its structure echoes the shapes of the mausoleums of Ifriqiyya and Fatimid Egypt with a square layout and pointed arches decorated with ashlars. The building is crowned by a hemispherical dome. ...

Incorporated into the 18th-century Villa Napoli was a Norman palace in the Cuba-Calatafimi district. Of the original part, an arch in the eastern front of the building and part of the masonry are currently visible. ...

The Cuba Palace was built around 1180, during the reign of William II. Like the Zisa, it was one of the royal solaces in the Genoard park. The pavilion, built near a water basin, has a compact shape, lightened by blind Fatimite arches, decorated in relief on the tufa wall face. The interior and the ...

There are several interpretations of the origin of the name "Conca d'oro". It could indicate the natural characteristics of the area, i.e. the thesaurus naturae, or the auriferous sands of the Oreto river, whose etymology seems to be linked to gold. According to this interpretation Conca d'oro deriv...

The Altofonte park was created at the behest of Roger II and was located south-west of Palermo, in woodland areas. Before long, the park was also equipped with a palace that was used as a royal residence during hunting trips. The palace was strategically located, almost dominating the Conca d'Oro an...

The Oreto River flows through the Oreto Valley. Its basin touches the territories of Altofonte, Monreale and Palermo. Its source is in the Conca d'Ora, south of the city of Palermo, and it extends for about 20 kilometres until it flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea....

Genoard, from the Arabic for Paradise Garden, occupied the western part of the Palermo plain. Sollatium buildings inspired by the Persian model, such as the Cuba, the Zisa, the Cuba Soprana and the Scibene, were located within the park. A grand Islamic garden, it was a place of pleasures filled with...