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 southern portico

A mixture of styles pervades the floor decorations

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

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

The stone bible

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

The chapel of St. Benedict

Ecclesia munita

The cultural substrate through time

Squaring the circle

The cemetery of kings

The liturgical spaces of the protesis and the diaconicon

The lost chapel

Roger II of hauteville: a sovereign protected by God

A tree full of life

A Northern population

The side aisles

Porphyry sarcophagi: royalty and power

Artistic elements in Peter’s ship

From the Mosque to the Cathedral

The chystro: a place between earth and sky

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

Characteristics of religious architecture in the romanesque period

Roger II’s strategic design

Mosaic decoration

The Kings’ Cathedrals

Transformations over the centuries

A space between the visible and the invisible

A chapel by an unknown designer based on repeated symmetries

A polysemy of high-level artistic forms and content

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

The area of the Sanctuary

The Great Presbytery: a unique space for the cathedral

The decorated facade

Gardens and architecture as a backdrop to the city of Palermo

The original design

The chapel of san Castrense: an important renaissance work

The Chapel of the Kings

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

The Virgin Hodegetria

The transformations of the hall through the centuries

Norman religious architecture with islamic influences in Sicily

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

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

The senses tell Context 1

Interior decorations

The king’s mark

The construction of Monreale Cathedral: between myth and history

The Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene

The Cathedral over the centuries

Beyond the harmony of proportions

Worship services

The dialogue between the architectures of the monumental complex

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

A remarkable ceiling

The mosaics of the apses

The longest aisle

The medieval city amidst monasticism and feudal aristocracy

A cloister of accentuated stylistic variety

Palermo: the happiest city

The mosaics of the presbytery

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

Cefalù: settlement evidence through time

A new Cathedral

The chorus: beating heart of the cathedral

The towers facing the facade used as bell towers

The towers and the western facade

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

Layers of different cultures decorate the external apses

Survey of the royal tombs

The rediscovered chapel

Two initially similar towers, varied over time

Under the crosses of the Bema

The beginning of the construction site

The Great Restoration

The Gualtiero Cathedral

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

The Bible carved in stone

The balance between architecture and light

A palimpsest of history

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

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

A controversial interpretation