Piazza Pretoria ★

A palazzo– and church-ringed piazza centered on the elaborate Fountain of Shame in Palermo

Just south of the famous Quattro Canti intersection, off Via Maqueda, is the raised pedestrian Piazza Pretoria square.

The Fountain of Shame

It is centered on a fabulous Mannerist ★ fountain sculpted for a Florentine villa in the 1550s but rejected by its commissioners. Palermo bought the thing and set it proudly at city center.

However, the local populace—scandalized by the racy nude figures and lewd glances these statues were throwing each other across the water jets—promptly renamed it the Fontana della Vergogna (Fountain of Shame).

This hasn't stopped the city from making it a 24-hour sight, dramatically floodlit at night.

The church of Santa Caterina

If, by divine providence, the church of Santa Caterina capping the piazza's east end has finally reopened when you visit, pop inside for one of the most elaborate baroque marble-and-stucco interiors in Palermo. (See the sidebar for details.)

The church of San Giuseppe dei Teatini

If it's still closed, content yourself with the grand baroque interior of San Giuseppe dei Teatini. Aside from the dome frescoes by Borremans (and stuccoed wall descorations by Giuseppe Serpotta, brother of the more famous Giacomo), there's not much to single out inside, but the scale and richness of the decorations make it stand out.

The church is on the southwest corner of the Quattro Canti, entered from the front on Corso V. Emanuele or the side at Via Maqueda 172. (See sidebar for more details.)

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