About Palermo

Palermo is the regional capital of Sicily, which is the largest and most heavily populated (about 5,000,000) island in the Mediterranean.
The area has been under numerous dominators over the centuries, including Roman, Carthaginian, Byzantine, Greek, Arab, Norman, Swabian and Spanish masters. Due to this past, to the cultural exchange that for millennia has taken place in the area, the city is still an exotic mixture of many cultures. Many of the monuments still exist giving the city somewhat unique appearance.
The city of Palermo, including the province of Palermo, has around 1,300,000 inhabitants and has about 200 Km of coastline. The old town of Palermo is one of the largest in Europe, full of references to the past.
Palermo reflects the diverse history of the region in that the city contains many masterpieces from different periods, including romanesque, gothic, renaissance and baroque architecture as well as examples of modern art.
The city also hosts it's rich vegetation of palm trees, prickly pears, bananas, lemon trees and so on. The abundance of exotic species was also noticed by the world-famous German writer Goethe who in April 1787 visited the newly opened botanical gardens, describing them as "the most beautiful place on earth". By www.my-erasmus.net

Meeting venue

The CIBB 2010 will be held at Palazzo Comitini in Palermo from Thursday 16th September 2010 to Saturday 18th September 2010.

About Palazzo Comitini
The palazzo (1768-71) built for Prince of Gravina incorporates two older ones belonging to the Roccafiorita-Bonanno and Gravina di Palagonia families. The front is graced with two large entrances and nine openings (now windows) on the ground floor, and a series of bulbous balconies (evocatively described in Italian as a petto d’oca which translates as goose breast) on the first floor. The building was radically altered in 1931 with the addition of another floor for use as the administrative of the Province of Palermo. A wide staircase leads up from the internal courtyard to the loggia on the first floor and the Sala delle Armi (Armoury), now the Salone dei Commessi; the two masks flanking the doorway served as torch extinguishers; off to the left is the Green Room, furnished with a fine 1700’s Murano glass lamp. Sala Martorana, now the seat of the Provincial Council, is lined throughout with 1700’s wood panelling inlayed with mirrors; these add luminosity to the room and enhance the impact of the ceiling which is frescoed with the Triumph of True Love. The four corner medallions depict the four Virtues: Fortitude, Temperance, Prudence, Justice. Sadly, the tiled floor is in a poor condition.

Usefull links:

http://www.palermotourism.com/

http://www.provincia.palermo.it/