Palermo's Kalsa District: A Cultural Guide for Manifesta 12

The Kalsa district in Palermo offers a rich array of cultural sites, as highlighted in an Artribune guide timed with Manifesta 12. Santa Maria dello Spasimo, a roofless 16th-century church, now hosts summer festivals and film screenings. Galleria Rizzuto, founded in 2013 by Giovanni Rizzuto and Eva Oliveri and relocated in 2017, is a key contemporary art space. The Museo delle Marionette, founded in 1975 and dedicated to Antonio Pasqualino, holds a vast collection of puppets from Palermo, Catania, Naples, and beyond, including works by Guttuso, Kantor, and Baj. Palazzo Chiaramonte-Steri, a 14th-century building restored in 1970 by Carlo Scarpa and Roberto Calandra, serves as the university's rectorate and bears traces of Inquisition prisoners. The Piazza Marina market offers antiques and bric-a-brac every Sunday. Franco U Vastiddaru, a legendary panelleria, continues its street food tradition under Antonino Valenti. Restaurant Il Gagini offers gourmet dining with three tasting menus. The article also promotes Artribune's digital tools, including the Arte Intorno web app and the Lettera newsletter.