San Giovanni degli Eremiti

This morning, I made a happy discovery in the office closet: shoeboxes with photos and negatives from my Italian study abroad trips in 2000 and 2001. Woo-hoo! I sat down with the computer and negative scanner and started digitizing.

This photo was taken in Sicily in the spring of 2001, by the church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti. The current structure of this Arab-Norman church dates back to the 12th century, but there has been a religious building on this site since the sixth century. Its transformation from church to a mosque and back to a church reflects the the succession of cultures that dominated Sicily throughout its history.

Eremiti means hermits, and this little spot, although in the middle of the city, is a truly peaceful retreat. When I visited Palermo in the spring of 2001, it was one of my favorite places in the city.

Taken with an Olympus Stylus Epic.