Palermo Marina Yachting inaugurated in the presence of President Mattarella
Over 40.000 square meters of space with a €30 million investment; 14 berths for megayachts are ready.
Palermo's new tourist port has been inaugurated; the ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to the Port Authority of the Western Sicilian Sea, was also attended by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella.
The work that led to the construction of the marina and the redevelopment of an entire area of over 40.000 square meters was presented during a press conference by Port Authority President Pasqualino Monti and Palermo Mayor Roberto Lagalla.
This is one of the most significant urban regeneration projects undertaken in Palermo since the postwar period, reconnecting the port with the urban fabric and, above all, an industrial and tourism asset. Approximately thirty thousand cubic meters of dilapidated and illegal structures, two fifty-four-meter-tall cranes, and twenty-nine silos were demolished in the area. The work, consistent with the Port Master Plan, was also aimed at significantly improving the service offering for cruise passengers and the community.
"Providing for the revitalization of the waterfront, with excellent results, is what we have done in Palermo, where a declining area has become an opportunity for development," said Monti. "We are aware that the competitiveness of territories is clearly linked to the modernization of their infrastructure and the services offered. Thus, the pier, too, has changed from a jumble of concrete and utilities, acquiring entirely new uses related to cultural redevelopment and tourism. The modifications carried out on the Trapezoidal Pier, now Palermo Marina Yachting, are functional changes that do not distort the spirit of the place; rather, they lend an indelible character to the landscapes, emphasize symbols and values linked to historical events, and immerse visitors—whether residents or tourists—into the world of flows and emotions that port cities can produce and evoke."
The port area, now well connected to the historic center, Monti explained, will attract approximately two million people each year, enjoying a variety of activities, including entertainment and games, as well as an exhibition of Sicilian excellence, which will take place around the Castello a Mare, a newly enhanced venue ready to enhance the city's cultural offerings. Visitors will be able to admire the artistic fountain with its moving water, the small theater overlooking Monte Pellegrino, and the city's multimedia museum. This change "is above all a truly innovative concept for a city with a strong impact, with open spaces that allow for complete immersion in the maritime experience. A new neighborhood that we must all commit to safeguarding," Monti said.
The project aims to provide continuity to the promenade along the Cala, extending it to the end of the Trapezoidal pier, now Palermo Marina Yachting, and to the archaeological complex of Castello a Mare, which is thus a candidate for becoming a UNESCO site, included in the "Arab-Norman Route", already part of the Heritage List; to free up the areas of Castello a Mare and enhance the site; to generate spaces for urban leisure and business also linked to Made in Sicily and, therefore, to Sicilian food and wine products with all their excellence.
Alongside the Castello a Mare Archaeological Park, whose perimeter has been traced by excavations, a promenade, a square, an urban lake, nine buildings with different functions have been created, including a convention center and a small 200-seat panoramic theater, paid parking, and fourteen moorings for megayachts to activate a new traffic segment.
Finally, a few numbers: over 40 square meters of development area, 7000 square meters occupied by the urban lake, over €30 million invested, and less than two years of construction. This historic stretch of the city's coastline, long a hub of interaction between the city and the port, has been rescued from decay and repurposed with urban uses and functions. The Trapezoidal Pier has now become a marina bay, a sort of Barceloneta with a fascinating and distinctive character. It will welcome cruise passengers, island-bound passengers, and pleasure boaters arriving on large yachts and other vessels. The local population will also be welcomed here.
The design and engineering of the Trapezoidal Pier redevelopment project are the responsibility of the Technical Office of the Western Sicilian Sea Port Authority. Architect Sebastiano Provenzano of Provenzano Architetti Associati collaborated on the architecture and artistic direction; and Venice Fountains for the artistic fountain, Forme d'Acqua. The contractor is Cosedil (Santa Venerina, CT). The major project took 18 months to complete.
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