Piazza Quattro Canti
Quattro Canti di Palermo, also known as Piazza Vigliena from the name of the Spanish viceroy under which it finished its first arrangement in 1620, is the name of an octagonal square at the intersection of the two main roads in Palermo: via Maqueda and via Vittorio Emanuele.
Its construction was necessary following the opening of via Maqueda, which determined the formation of the intersection with via Vittorio Emanuele, and divided the city into four parts called Mandamenti.
Each of the four canti takes its name from the most important civil building in that area: Capo or Monte di Pietà, Albergheria or Palazzo Reale, Kalsa or Tribunali and Loggia or Castellammare.
The four canti have been associated with various denominations: Theater of the Sun because in every season, at least one of the four cantons is illuminated by sunlight, octagon for its shape.
The square has a circular shape and the cantons, made of cut stone co n details in Billiemi stone are curvilinear. The construction of the cantons, begun in 1608 on a project by Giulio Lasso, was continued and completed in 1621 under the guidance of Mariano Smiriglio.
Each canton has the three orders overlapping: Doric, Ionic and composite. In the lower order there are the statues of the seasons, in the middle one the statues of four Spanish kings, in the upper one the statues of the patron saints of each district: Santa Oliva, Santa Cristina, Sant'Agata and Santa Ninfa.
Sui gables of the balconies you can admire angels with palm trees and crowns; on the attic the Spanish royal coat of arms was placed between the viceroy and the praetorium.
In 1856, to improve the disposal of rainwater, the street level was lowered and a basin was added to each canton under the fountains.
