Casa KHALISA Lodge ..... The surroundings

The name “Casa Khalisa comes from the previous name of the Kalsa district that derives from the Arabic “Al Khalisa” which means the pure or elected.  This is aimed to separate it from the old town where the secessionist seemed to overpower. 

The current name is “Mandamento Tribunali” (although it’s commonly known in the city with the old Arabic name); the name comes from the existence in it of the former tribunal inquisition, a historical building commonly known as “Palazzo Chiaramonte-Steri”

It was started in the early 14^th century; it was the great house of Manfredi Chiaramonte, earl of Modica’s huge and powerful fiefdom   (called “Regnum in Regno” because of its privileges) whose commission the ceiling of the Sala Magna is due to.

From the beginning of the 14^th century to 1517, it was the residence of the Spanish viceroys, then it hosted the Royal Customs and, from 1600 to 1782, the tribunal of Inquisition. Restored in the 50’s, it is now the building of the Rectorate of the University of Palermo.

The district was created during the Arab period and it is the first district outside the oldest walls located in the most western part, this new district was built and fortified in a short time in order to give the city another defensive pole detached from the old city centre.  Inside there was the fortified citadel of the Emir.  During the subsequent Norman domination the Arab walls were demolished and only the outer walls of the city were left in order to foster the communication between the areas and probably because such kind of protection was no longer necessary, at the same time the Castello a Mare was built in contrast with the old castle.

It was built in Norman times, or even Arab and over the centuries it was repeatedly restored and enlarged.  In the 16^th century, it hosted the Spanish viceroys and then became building of the tribunal of inquisition, during the Bourbon age it started to decline because of its inactivity as purely a defensive structure.    

In the medieval age, the area haphazardly grew so that the once separated district joined the Jewish district and then the fortified citadel. 

In 1600, the area underwent a first deep transformation with the cut of via Maqueda, but what permanently changed the area was the cut of via Roma that divided the district into two parts. In the centuries after the cut, an intensive building activity was started with the creation of palaces, churches and convents.

Even today there is a peculiar oriental atmosphere accentuated by the presence of Arab-Norman style monuments.  Central district but still poplar, it offers a glimpse of life in Palermo.  It is not infrequent, walking in front of Santa Teresa church, to see men cooking and selling “babbaluci”, marinated snails with oil, parsley, garlic and pepper served in fancy paper bags.  The heart of the district is around the Kalsa Square but the area extends to Corso Vittorio Emanuele including many of the most interesting monuments of the city.

(News and links source Wikipedia)

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