The mosaics of the nave
, featuring scenes from the Old
and New Testaments
, as well as the interplay of columns that runs through and punctuates the interior of the cathedral, seem to accompany the faithful on a salvific journey that crosses the presbytery
and culminates, in a Christo-centric line, with the King of Kings, the Christ Pantocrator
, placed at the centre of the apsidal dome
.
A mosaic cycle which, partly thanks to the figures of over two hundred and fifty saints mainly represented in the sub-arches, invites us to contemplate and look towards Christ, the bearer of justice and salvation.
The presbytery is divided into the left wing, known as St. Louis bay
, the choir and the right wing, known as the Williams’ bay. The first is so called because it houses the reliquary altar of St. Louis
, at the end of the northern wall of the room; while the Williams’ bay houses the sarcophagi of the kings of Sicily
, William I known as “the Bad” and the commissioner of the entire complex, William II
. It may be noted that, in comparison with other Norman buildings, the presbyteral part has very slight projections in relation to the rest of the basilica, with the arms of the transept
being less pronounced transversely.
The presbytery , located in a raised position, is accessed via a few steps; the space is marked by a series of triumphal arches
, which divide this large and wide area into various sections, where architecture, decoration and colours take part in the grandiose iconographic programme that tells the story of Salvation, from the Creation of Man, through sin to the triumph of Christ.In the middle of the first large entrance ogival arch
, the Sapientia Dei is depicted, introducing the Cathedral’s entire mosaic cycle, as it accompanies all of God’s work; it is represented as a crowned and veiled woman between archangels Michael and Gabriel
. The other triumphal arches, regal and majestic, are arranged in a progressively ascending order and are decorated with clipei
, representing kings and prophets
, and images of angels and saints
leading to the last arch, the one that surrounds the apsidal basin, where the Pantocrator is depicted.
The etimasia
, i.e, the empty throne that will welcome Christ, universal judge, at the end of time, as narrated in the Revelation, can be seen in the vault.
Two other arches, depicting saints and martyrs
, give access to the presbytery from the northern and southern transepts. In the pillars, positioned above the royal throne
and the bishop's seat
, the purely political scene of William II being crowned by Christ
The dialogue between the architectures of the monumental complex
Biblical themes enlivened by the dazzling light of the stained – glass windows overlooking the naves
The Bible carved in stone
The longest aisle
The links between the hauteville family and the monastic orders in Sicily
The southern portico
The Cefalù cathedral: a construction yard undergoing a change between a surge of faith and control over the territory
The Gualtiero Cathedral
The king’s mark
Under the crosses of the Bema
A compositional design that combines nordic examples with new artistic languages, over the centuries
The chorus: beating heart of the cathedral
Mosaic decoration
Transformations over the centuries
The transformations of the hall through the centuries
Tempus fugit: a strategic project implemented in a short period of time
A mixture of styles pervades the floor decorations
Roger II of hauteville: a sovereign protected by God
The chystro: a place between earth and sky
The marble portal: an intimate dialogue between complex ornamental aspects and formal structure
The plasticism of the main portico and Bonanno Pisano’s Monumental Bronze Door
The stone bible
A controversial interpretation
The towers facing the facade used as bell towers
A polysemy of high-level artistic forms and content
The rediscovered chapel
A palimpsest of history
The Cathedral over the centuries
The senses tell Context 1
A space between the visible and the invisible
Layers of different cultures decorate the external apses
The side aisles
A cloister of accentuated stylistic variety
Porphyry sarcophagi: royalty and power
The area of the Sanctuary
The Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene
Squaring the circle
The towers and the western facade
From the main gate to the aisles: an invitation to a journey of faith
The Chapel of the Kings
The liturgical spaces of the protesis and the diaconicon
Thirteenth-century iconography decorates the nave’s wooden ceiling, designed with new solutions
The architectural modifications ti the cathedral building after the death of Roger II and the transformations of the cloister
The mosaics of the apses
Survey of the royal tombs
The original design
Two initially similar towers, varied over time
Beyond the harmony of proportions
A remarkable ceiling
The chapel of san Castrense: an important renaissance work
The construction of Monreale Cathedral: between myth and history
The Great Presbytery: a unique space for the cathedral
The Kings’ Cathedrals
The chapel of the crucifix: an artistic casket based on a previous model
A tree full of life
The cultural substrate through time
The Virgin Hodegetria
A chapel by an unknown designer based on repeated symmetries
The cemetery of kings
The lost chapel
A new Cathedral
The paradisiacal “Conca d’oro” that embraces Palermo: a name with countless faces through time
The chapel of St. Benedict
From the Mosque to the Cathedral
Worship services
Gardens and architecture as a backdrop to the city of Palermo
Artistic elements in Peter’s ship
Cefalù: settlement evidence through time
The mosaics of the presbytery
The side Portico: a combination of elegance and lightness of form
The columns of the nave: the meticulous study of the overall order
Interior decorations
The balance between architecture and light
Characteristics of religious architecture in the romanesque period
The medieval city amidst monasticism and feudal aristocracy
Ecclesia munita
Palermo: the happiest city
Norman religious architecture with islamic influences in Sicily
A Northern population
The Great Restoration
The beginning of the construction site
The decorated facade
Roger II’s strategic design
MiC – Ministero della Cultura
Legge 77/2006 - Misure Speciali di Tutela e Fruizione dei Siti Italiani di Interesse Culturale, Paesaggistico e Ambientale, inseriti nella “Lista Del Patrimonio Mondiale”, posti sotto la Tutela dell’ UNESCO Regione Siciliana.
Assessorato dei Beni Culturali e dell’Identità Siciliana, Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali e dell’Identità Siciliana.
Parco archeologico della Valle dei Templi di Agrigento.