Piazza Pretoria

Piazza Pretoria is a small but theatrical square in the centre of Palermo, dominated by a large 16th-century marble fountain of tiered basins crowded with nude mythological figures, brought from Florence and once nicknamed the Square of Shame by scandalised locals. The city hall and two baroque churches enclose the space, close to the crossroads of the Quattro Canti. Steps and balustrades ring the fountain, and the ensemble is a favourite stop on a walk through the dense historic heart of the city.