Apses and transept
Cefalù Cathedral

Layers of different cultures decorate the external apses

EXTERNAL APSES
The external architectural decoration of the three apses features twin columns dividing the semi-spherical surface, ending in the central apse with a fringe of elegant single-light blind arches, arranged in an alternating rhythm of evident Romanesque origin. The oculi were inserted in the space dividing the columns, in the middle position. The side apses, on the other hand, are influenced by Islamic architecture with their typical intertwining arches. The presence of large oculi, both in the central apse and in the transept, is reminiscent of Burgundian architecture, confirming the activity of workers of different origins on the site.

The decoration of the external architectural part of the three apses has the common feature of paired columns, which divide the semi-spherical surface, ending, in the central apse, with a fringe of elegant blind single-lancet arches , arranged in an alternating rhythm of evident Romanesque origin. The oculi were inserted in the space between the columns, in the middle position, according to a plan that was abandoned after a few years because the internal mosaic decoration concealed their presence. The side apses, on the other hand, are influenced by Islamic architecture with their typical intertwining arches .
The presence of large oculi , both in the central apse and in the transept, is reminiscent of Burgundian architecture , confirming the activity of workers of different origins on the site.
The distinctive feature at the end of the outer transept is the lively decoration, with small columns and blind arches corresponding to the internal walkway and loggia.
The roofs of these areas of the complex are different in relation to the rooms because of the many disruptions in construction affecting some parts of the Cathedral. The most evident defect, probably the result of a fire in the 16th century, concerns the southern arm of the transept, because of the presence of a high barrel vault , made of bricks and featuring with false ribs on the inside.

The marble portal: an intimate dialogue between complex ornamental aspects and formal structure

The Cathedral over the centuries

A chapel by an unknown designer based on repeated symmetries

A new Cathedral

The side aisles

From the Mosque to the Cathedral

A cloister of accentuated stylistic variety

The liturgical spaces of the protesis and the diaconicon

Biblical themes enlivened by the dazzling light of the stained – glass windows overlooking the naves

Roger II’s strategic design

Cefalù: settlement evidence through time

Interior decorations

Characteristics of religious architecture in the romanesque period

The cemetery of kings

The stone bible

The Cefalù cathedral: a construction yard undergoing a change between a surge of faith and control over the territory

A polysemy of high-level artistic forms and content

The chapel of St. Benedict

The transformations of the hall through the centuries

The medieval city amidst monasticism and feudal aristocracy

A controversial interpretation

The Gualtiero Cathedral

Survey of the royal tombs

Porphyry sarcophagi: royalty and power

The rediscovered chapel

A palimpsest of history

The side Portico: a combination of elegance and lightness of form

Ecclesia munita

A mixture of styles pervades the floor decorations

Worship services

A compositional design that combines nordic examples with new artistic languages, over the centuries

The Chapel of the Kings

Beyond the harmony of proportions

The chorus: beating heart of the cathedral

The beginning of the construction site

A Northern population

The towers facing the facade used as bell towers

A space between the visible and the invisible

The architectural modifications ti the cathedral building after the death of Roger II and the transformations of the cloister

The Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene

The construction of Monreale Cathedral: between myth and history

Under the crosses of the Bema

The mosaics of the presbytery

The king’s mark

Roger II of hauteville: a sovereign protected by God

The Great Restoration

The longest aisle

The columns of the nave: the meticulous study of the overall order

Mosaic decoration

The original design

The dialogue between the architectures of the monumental complex

The area of the Sanctuary

Palermo: the happiest city

The Kings’ Cathedrals

The Great Presbytery: a unique space for the cathedral

A tree full of life

The chystro: a place between earth and sky

The plasticism of the main portico and Bonanno Pisano’s Monumental Bronze Door

Gardens and architecture as a backdrop to the city of Palermo

The towers and the western facade

Two initially similar towers, varied over time

The paradisiacal “Conca d’oro” that embraces Palermo: a name with countless faces through time

The Bible carved in stone

The chapel of san Castrense: an important renaissance work

Squaring the circle

The links between the hauteville family and the monastic orders in Sicily

From the main gate to the aisles: an invitation to a journey of faith

The lost chapel

The Virgin Hodegetria

The balance between architecture and light

The mosaics of the apses

Norman religious architecture with islamic influences in Sicily

The decorated facade

A remarkable ceiling

Tempus fugit: a strategic project implemented in a short period of time

The chapel of the crucifix: an artistic casket based on a previous model

The senses tell Context 1

Artistic elements in Peter’s ship

The southern portico

The cultural substrate through time

Transformations over the centuries

Thirteenth-century iconography decorates the nave’s wooden ceiling, designed with new solutions

Layers of different cultures decorate the external apses