I love cooking, and that’s probably why one of my favorite streets in Palermo is Via Calderai – the Street of the Coppersmiths.
The magic of this street can only be understood in the morning, while the artisan workshops are still open. For centuries, the craft of this street has been making copper cauldrons, pots, frying pans, and other kitchenware from copper, bronze, and aluminum. The craftsmen who made them were called calderai.
One English traveler in the 19th century called this street “the noisiest place in Europe.” Even from a distance, you could hear the constant sound of metal being hammered inside the workshops. It’s much quieter today, but when I needed an unusual baking mold for my kitchen, they immediately offered to make one to my specifications. They say many Palermo restaurants still buy their cookware here. I’m ready to believe it, because I’ve never seen pizza peels that big up close before.
Another special feature of this street is that it reminds us of Palermo’s multicultural history. It is in this part of the city that you can find street signs in Hebrew, Arabic, and Italian. A Jewish community existed here almost 2,000 years ago. Later, the Arabs joined them. And everyone lived here peacefully together. To me, these multilingual street signs are a tribute to the city’s history, and they are simply beautiful.