Organs

The first organ was installed in the Monreale Cathedral in 1503 by Cardinal Borgia and, in 1600, it was moved to the ambo by Ludovico II de Torres. In 1688, there were various transformations inside the Cathedral. The ambo was removed, the organ was placed on the right side of the presbytery and another one was commissioned which was built by Santo Romano and Antonio de Simone, and was placed in front of the first one. Therefore, two organs were created, which were unfortunately destroyed by the terrible fire of 1810. The next phase of restoration and reconstruction of the destroyed part of the Cathedral also involved the installation of a new organ, made by the Felice Platania e Figli di Acireale firm in 1853. The present six-keyboard organ was made by the Paduan Ruffatti brothers in 1967 and was designed by the Monreale architect Luigi Epifanio. The new organ is very original since it has elements of the one made by the Felice Platania e Figli di Acireale firm. The sound complex consists of approximately ten thousand wooden and metal pipes.