The Royal Palace or Palazzo dei Normanni is located at the exact centre of the first urban site. Its first foundations date from the 9C at a time of Arab rule. In 938 the emir abandoned the qsar to move to Kalsa. The palace became a royal residence once again under the Normans who extended and embellished it. After another long period of abandon and dilapidation, the palace was restored under the 16C Spanish viceroys, and today is the seat of Sicily's parliament.