EN
Except for the period of Punic wars individual historic periods in Palermo can be reconstructed in detail. The 2nd World W a r and then an earthquake in 1968, left a permanent vestige in the structure and history of the town. A gradual exodus of inhabitants soon resulted in a drop in the number of the population. The old centre with the area of 250 ha accounts today for 8 per cent of the total town area and is inhabited by nearly 6 per cent of Palermo's inhabitants. The present situation of this urban complex is similar to the situation found in other southern regions of Europe, which in the postwar period developed in an abnormal way, restricting ages-long links of the town with the sea and agriculture. Recently, hope has been raised that it will be possible to change Palermo’s situation. After four years of work a group of specialists has put forward a programme for the reh a bilitation of the historic centre. Both on a na tio nal and regional scale a new spatial programme corresponds to standards set for historic centres. It restores to four districts their original cultural function and administrative centre of the town and region. It also pays attention to problems of hygiene and health that have been left unsolved for nearly a century. It seems to be an indispensable instrument in solving the problem of the town’s rebirth. First and foremost, this is a rehabilitation project, subordinating all actions of the concordance of a modern function of the urban body to its historic character.