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City Center

Major urban development has taken place towards the north-west as well as the lengthening of Via Maqueda, which took the name of Via Ruggero Settimo, the present day city center, on the outskirts of which, two major theatres were built at the end of the 19th century: il Massimo – temple of lyric theatre and ballet and which has the largest stage in the world (as regards back drop and depth) and il Politeama. Along Via Libertà several quarters have risen, swallowing the old suburbs, up to the edges of Monte Pellegrino, there are new quarters at the foot of the eastern slope of the mountain such as San Lorenzo where the magnificent Parco della Favorita is found and the splendid Palazzina Cinese the Arenella and Vergine Maria, but also along the western slope until Mondello, a stupendous gulf that today represents the true summer tourist center and Partanna.