The late-16th-century Oratory of St Lawrence features glorious stuccowork by master rococo sculptor Giacomo Serpotta. Capturing scenes from the lives of St Lawrence and St Francis, the work is kept in fine company by an Antonino Grano–designed marble floor and exquisite side benches with ivory and mother-of-pearl inlaying. Above the altar is a reproduction of Caravaggio’s The Nativity with St Francis and St Lawrence, stolen from here in 1969 and still one of the FBI’s top 10 unsolved art crimes.
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±'s must-see attractions
4.7 MILES
Inspired by a vision of the Virgin and determined to outdo his grandfather Roger II, who was responsible for the cathedral in Cefalù and the Cappella…
0.81 MILES
Designed by Roger II in 1130, this extraordinary chapel is Palermo's top tourist attraction. Located on the middle level of Palazzo dei Normanni's three…
0.81 MILES
Home to Sicily's regional parliament, this venerable palace dates back to the 9th century. However, it owes its current look (and name) to a major Norman…
0.59 MILES
A feast of geometric patterns, ziggurat crenellations, maiolica cupolas and blind arches, Palermo's cathedral has suffered aesthetically from multiple…
Galleria Regionale della Sicilia
0.3 MILES
Housed in the stately 15th-century Palazzo Abatellis, this art museum – widely regarded as Palermo's best – showcases works by Sicilian artists dating…
Chiesa e Monastero di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria
0.23 MILES
Built as a hospice in the early 14th century and transformed into a Dominican convent the following century, this monastic complex wows with its…
0.54 MILES
Taking over 20 years to complete, Palermo's neoclassical opera house is the largest in Italy and the second-largest in Europe. The closing scene of The…
0.45 MILES
Snaking for several city blocks southeast of Palazzo dei Normanni is Palermo's busiest street market, which throbs with activity well into the early…
Nearby Palermo attractions
1. Chiesa di San Francesco d'Assisi
0.04 MILES
On a picture-perfect piazza, the much-amended Chiesa di San Francesco d'Assisi dates back to the 13th century. Remnants from its early history include the…
0.12 MILES
Just off Piazza Marina, this palazzo is one of the few in Palermo open to the public. Dating back to the 17th century, the building served as the Palermo…
0.13 MILES
This lovely, wheelchair-accessible museum is housed in a 15th-century palazzo, which metamorphosed into a convent in the 17th century. Divided over three…
0.14 MILES
The underwhelming market here was once a notorious den of Mafia activity. It's a much more muted affair these days, outshone by its much more spirited…
0.16 MILES
Surrounded on all sides by elegant palazzi, gentrified Piazza Marina is Palermo's quietest piazza, and its small Giardino Garibaldi encloses Palermo's…
0.2 MILES
The current Chiesa di San Domenico was built in 1640 following the design of architect Andrea Cirrincione; the facade was added in 1726 after the…
0.21 MILES
Dominating this small chapel is Anthony Van Dyck's fantastic blue-and-red altarpiece, The Virgin of the Rosary with St Dominic and the Patronesses of…
0.21 MILES
Housed in the lower floors and basements of 14th-century Palazzo Chiaromonte Steri, this fascinating museum explores the legacy of the Inquisition in…