Palermo

Palermo (pop. 696,700), capital, largest city, and major port of Sicily, Italy, on the northwestern coast. Shipbuilding, textiles, and chemicals are leading industries. Palermo was founded by Phoenicians between the 8th and 6th centuries B.C. The city was ruled by Byzantines (535–831), Arabs (831–1072), and Normans (1072–1194), and its notable medieval architecture exhibits features of all these cultures.

See also: Sicily.