Description
Palace of the Normans
The first stop on the tour is the palace of the Normans.Built around the 10th century, it became the royal residence of the Norman kings of exceptional sumptuousness and refinement.They chose, for their architecture, the technical mastery of Muslim craftsmen, thus giving rise to “Arab-Norman art.” The ensemble of buildings that constitutes today’s Royal Palace is the result of additions made between the 16th and 17th centuries, which gave the complex a unified appearance.
Stop to visit the Cathedral of Monreale
The Cathedral of Monreale is one of the most precious examples of Arab-Norman art, a Unesco heritage site.Admission to the cathedral is charged. You can admire the vastness, the harmony of the architectural elements and the splendor of the mosaics of Christ Pantocrator.The cloister, in front of the church, is part of the same architectural complex and is rich in religious decorations from the Old and New Testaments.Crossing Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, where the famous cathedral and the municipal palace stand, you will reach the Belvedere, a terraced park, which overlooks the Conca d’Oro and the city of Palermo with a wonderful view.
Stop to visit Palermo Cathedral
Palermo Cathedral was an early Christian basilica, a mosque, then a church again. The succession of dominations and respective cultures over time brought the insertion of new architectural and artistic elements, although the Arab-Norman style remained the predominant one. All that remains is to understand its history and discover its treasures among chapels, frescoes, royal tombs and even a peculiar sundial.Admission to the cathedral is free, but a ticket must be paid to visit the crypt, treasury, roofs and mausoleums.
Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio (Martorana Church)
Located in the historical centre of Palermo on Piazza Bellini, it was built in 1143 at the behest of George of Antioch, Grand Admiral of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, under Roger II. It was later merged with the neighbouring convent of Benedictine nuns, founded by Goffredo and Eloisa Martorana, from the latter derives the Church’s alternative name: the ‘Martorana’.The Church is the most important Byzantine-style work in Palermo, even though it has distinctly Islamic elements.The Church has an inscribed plan, oriented with the apse to the east and the façade to the west to turn prayers towards the east, according to the typical ritual of Byzantine churches. The choir is supported by columns from earlier Norman buildings, the upper part of the walls and the dome are entirely covered with Byzantine mosaics, the oldest in Sicily and among the most important in the world.
Church of San Cataldo
Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, the church of San Cataldo is a marvellous example of Arab-Norman architecture. It is located near Piazza Bellini, in an elevated position and attached to the church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio (the Martorana). The building dates back to the Norman rule of William I.Externally, the church of San Cataldo has a simple and severe façade. Made of sandstone and characterised by its parallelepiped shape, several blind arcades house three large windows on each side. On the upper part is an arabesque battlement, above which stand the three characteristic red domes, which are located at the nave.
Church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti
The Church of S. Giovanni degli Eremiti, one of Palermo’s most distinguished medieval buildings, was built in the Norman era, between 1130 and 1148, under the reign of Roger II, but radically restored in 1882 by Giuseppe Patricolo.The internal construction module of the church is a cubic structure surmounted by a dome. This module is repeated five times: two in the bays of the single nave, three in the transept. The juxtaposition of the square, representing the earth, with the circle, representing the sky, recurs in both Islamic Fatimite and Byzantine cultures. The interior is bare and intimate.
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