One cannot go to Palermo without seeing Monreale. Located 30 minutes by bus from central Palermo,
Monreale is famous for its Norman cathedral built by William II. It is considered one of the great wonders of Sicily because of its Arab Norman art and elaborate gold mosaics. Built in 10 years, 1175-1185, the interior walls, arches, columns are embellished with astonishing gold mosaics depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments.
 |
| William II offering the Cathedral to the Virgin. |
 |
| The Byzantine and Arab craftsmen who created these beautiful mosaics also worked on the Cefalù Duomo. |
 |
| Capella Palantina & Christ the Pantocrator |
 |
| Tombs of William I and William II |
 |
| Tomb of William II (1166-1189) |
 |
Interior arches reflect the Arab influence.
The gold mosaics represent stories from the Old and New Testament. |
 |
| The Altar |
 |
Choir Room in the Baroque style
|
No comments:
Post a Comment