Mondello

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Mondello (Sicilian: Munneḍḍu) is a seaside borough of the city of Palermo in the autonomous region of Sicily, in Southern Italy.

It lies on a sandy bay delimited by two hills called Mount Gallo (or Rooster) and Mount Pellegrino (or Pilgrim), in the northernmost area of the city.

Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Upper Paleolithic and Chalcolithic^[1].

In medieval times a small village arose on the northern edge of the bay. The community prospered economically due to the abundant profits from fishing and agriculture. In the 15th century a tuna fishery was built, which quickly became the most successful business in the village. In that period the military defense of the place became necessary due to the frequent attacks by Barbary corsairs^[2].

In the early 20th century, Mondello became a luxury seaside resort for the aristocracy and the bourgeoisie. In 1909, the Municipality of Palermo reached an agreement with an Italian-Belgian company for the construction of a new district in the area.

The new neighborhood was planned according to the canons of the garden city movement and its construction involved the leading architects of the Palermo modernist school, such as Ernesto Basile and his students^[3]. A number of Liberty style villas on the seafront promenade have made it one of the gems of Art Nouveau in Europe^[4][5].

Later, Mondello grew into a tourist destination and it is currently considered the main seaside resort of Palermo.