El papel de los conjuntos conventuales en la renovación ur bana de Palermo en la época de la Contrarreforma

In a city like Palermo, ancient capital of the Reign of Sicily, the effect of new religious complexes born from the catholic politic of the Counter-Reformation, was sudden and explosive, and it caused, between the second half of the16th century and the first of the 17th century, a process of urban renewal never seen before. The essay means to analyze, first of all, the architectural interventions from a quantitative point of view, so to render the real dimension of the phenomenon and of the role it played in the destruction of the medieval city and the creation of the modern one, triggering un uninterrupted state of conflict between the new religious settlements and the owners of the near build ings. Within this general approach, the essay also draws the main social and political dynamic s associated with the remarkable architectural programs and their financiers. Within this sphere, five main subjects have been identified: 1) the governing authority represented by the viceroy; 2) the religious authority represented by the bishop; 3) the municipal authority re presented by the Senate; 4) the powerful feudal nobility of the Sicilian Parliament; 5) the wealthy class, made up of officers, professionals and rich merchants.