Monreale Cathedral

  Famed for its glorious golden mosaics, Monreale Cathedral is perhaps the finest Norman building in Sicily. It was built in the 12th century as part of a grand royal complex a few miles outside of the city of Palermo.

Monreale Cathedral was built from 1174 to 1185. It was commissioned by William II (1154-89), the Norman ruler of Sicily, who wished to demonstrate the magnificence of his kingdom and outdo the Palantine Chapel built by his grandfather, Roger II. The project employed both Sicilian and Byzantine craftsmen, resulting in a magnificent fusion of eastern and western influences.

 The undisputed highlight of Monreale Cathedral is its richly mosaiced interior. Dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, the golden mosaics completely cover the walls of the nave, aisles, transept and apse - amounting to 68,220 square feet in total.  Some of the mosaics were created by craftsmen who were brought from Venice for the project.

Minute mosaics cover all the walls

Jesus in the center...with Saints Peter and Paul to either side

mosaics all along the ceiling...

depiction of Abraham when told to kill his son Isaac

detail of the mosaic...click on any picture to enlarge...

Adam and Eve with the snake in the Garden of Eden...

amazing detail !

Saint John the Baptist

the grand organ...still used in masses

Saint Nicholas ...beard and all !

Noah building the Ark..

the Cloister of the cathedral...now a park

the Cloister is full of kapok trees...very interesting ...

   the park is dedicated to three police officers whose lives were "ended too soon" by the mafia.

sculpture on the park

a strange man under the kapok tree...

After we visited this amazing cathedral, we wandered around the village of Monreale a bit...a lovely city with views of the surrounding hills...

bells above a church

a traditional Sicilian donkey cart...now with a stuffed donkey used to advertise a restaurant !

It was another in a string for warm, sunny days here in Sicily spent visiting a Unesco World Heritage site...wow !