The Province of Palermo ( Italian : provincia di Palermo ; Sicilian : pruvincia di Palermu) was a province in the autonomous region of Sicily , a major island in Southern Italy . Its capital was the city of Palermo . On August 4, 2015, it was replaced by the Metropolitan City of Palermo . History and location Its name is derived from Latin word "Panormus". From 1072 to 1194 Palermo was the capital of the Kingdom of Sicily before Naples became the new capital under the rule of the French Angevin dynasty. It has also been ruled by the Romans, Byzantines, Normans, Arabs, Spanish Empire and Americans (during part of W.W. II). Historical accounts recording the existence of the province date back to the 8th and 6th century B.C. The province is surrounded by Tyrrhenian Sea in the north, Province of Trapani in the west, the provinces of Agrigento and Caltanissetta in the south, Enna in the southeast and Messina in the east. It is popular for its beaches, namely Mondello. The land is mountainous and includes Polli Express yourself. Organize your knowledge. Expand your mind. Discover the world. Revolvy connects you with interesting topics, lists and quizzes. Choose from hundreds of quizzes that test your knowledge. Search through millions of topics. Create a your personalized library of topics, and discover topics that others are following.