The present day Zisa garden, opened in 2005, with a surface area of 30,000m2, is a green expanse, rich in flowers and plants, which visually recreates the splendour of the ancient Genoard garden, considered to be the Paradise of the Earth. The colours are dominated by the white marble from the Alcam...

The image of the Zisa, which had been intact for centuries and reproduced in drawings and prints, changed appearance several times in the last thirty years of the 20th century, first as a building still intact but in a state of neglect, then collapsed, then encased in scaffolding and finally restore...

The palace is in the form of a rectangular block with a compact and austere volume, relieved only by the rhythmically and discreetly inserted rooms in the elevation. The ground floor is characterised by the presence of a large porticoed corridor, open on the short sides and with three access arches,...

The Genoard, was one of the most important and extensive parks, a wonder to behold. Inside, there were residences, palaces and pavilions: the Cuba, the Zisa, the Cuba Soprana, the Cubula, the Menani and the Scibene. Ancient sources say that there were also exotic animals, fountains, pools, springs a...

While the interior features lavish and ostentatious frescoes, typical of the Baroque era, set alongside the golden splendour of Byzantine mosaics, the exterior is characterised by a delightful mix of styles: representative elements typical of Norman and Islamic-derived architecture, such as the arti...

The church is divided into nine bays, distinguished by four columns that form a square space in the centre and support the dome. The interior lighting, which creates a rich interplay of light with the mosaic decoration of the floor, the vaults and the sanctuary, is provided by the dome's eight windo...

The traveller Ibn Gubayr admired the Church of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio and described it as "one of the most beautiful constructions you will ever see". Over the centuries, the church of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio has changed its appearance: numerous reconstructions have transformed the ancient ...

In Norman times, especially during the reign of Roger II, Palermo was becoming more and more enriched with magnificent buildings every day. The Church of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio, built ex novo at the behest of Admiral George of Antioch, stands in the luminous Piazza Bellini in the historic centr...

The ceiling, made of painted wood, consists of two rows of central coffers, with concave lobes, flanked by small square or star-shaped coffers; the system is made of alveoli and muqarnas, typical of Islamic architecture. In particular, the central aisle is decorated with muqarnas, which form the geo...

The craftsmen, probably from Byzantium, created a domus, in which the shining gold of the tiles becomes an allegory of the glorious reign of Roger. The representations, in an immobile and unnatural style, narrate timeless scenes from the Old and New Testaments in a burst of gold and bright colours. ...