The Qanats of Palermo are a spectacular hydraulic work that runs beneath the entire city. The Qanat technique was invented by the Persians, borrowed by the Arabs and spread throughout the Mediterranean.
This was an excellent way to supply water to cities that suffered from an arid climate and lacked sufficient springs. They are proper underground aqueducts: narrow tunnels dug for dozens and dozens of kilometres by the muqanni, the Arab water masters, in the friable calcarite, a Quaternary rock widespread in Palermo. These tunnels intercepted aquifers in the foothills of the Conca d’Oro and transported water to the city by exploiting a very slight slope, less than 0.5 per cent. This type of slope, involving a constant but slow flow, protected the walls from the damaging erosive effect of water.
Qanats were also exploited to create the cool environment typical of the so-called Sirocco chambers: hypogean rooms in which, thanks to air flows, temperature was far lower than elsewhere in the house. They are no more or less than ancient air conditioners, in a nutshell. Sirocco chambers were mainly used in the 18th century in country villas where the nobility went to spend their holidays during the hot season.
There are three Qanats that can be visited: the Low Jesuit or Vignicella, the High Jesuit and the Uscibene. In the latter there is also a sirocco chamber. Of the three, we recommend you visit the first one.