Botanical Garden of Palermo in Sicily

by Silva Wischeropp

This sunny architectural photograph shows the neoclassical grammar school with its red dome at the entrance to the botanical gardens in Palermo.

The image was taken in the late afternoon of 22 April 2022 with a NIKON D800 (lens: NIKKOR 50.0 mm f/1.4).
The building surrounded by palm trees in the sunny, warm spring light with a bright blue sky gives the image an enchanting, harmonious, slightly Mediterranean atmosphere.

The Palermo Botanical Garden (Italian: Orto Botanico di Palermo) is a garden complex that is used by the University of Palermo as a teaching and research facility and is also open to interested visitors.
The gardens are currently home to around 12,000 different species. Created in the second half of the 19th century, the gardens served as a model for a whole series of large botanical gardens in Northern Europe. Thanks to Palermo's mild climate, it was possible to cultivate a large number of plants from all over the world that were rare or unknown in Europe at the time. Through the mediation of Adolf Engler, there was also a lively exchange with the Berlin Botanical Garden. From the winter garden, especially in spring, you can enjoy a fantastic view of the palm trees and numerous exotic tree species swaying in the magnificent, mild sunlight.

The Giardino d'Inverno (winter garden) is home to a whole range of species that otherwise only thrive in the warm climates of Africa, Central America, South America, Asia and Australia. These include coffee plants, papaya, a range of bougainvillea, cinnamon trees and mimosas.
It offers a real contrast to the bustling and lively Sicilian capital of Palermo and guarantees relaxation.
Botanical motifs are the perfect addition for nature lovers and lend a meditative atmosphere to living and working spaces.