Monreale Cathedral

William II founded the cathedral in 1174, and its interior is covered almost entirely in mosaic on a gold ground, roughly six thousand square metres, laid by Byzantine and local craftsmen over a remarkably short period, which gives the whole cycle an unusual consistency. The scheme runs from Genesis along the nave to a Christ Pantocrator filling the apse, whose face is around two metres across. The Benedictine cloister beside it has two hundred and twenty-eight paired columns, each pair carved differently, some inlaid with mosaic, with capitals showing biblical scenes, animals and hybrid figures. UNESCO listed it in 2015.

Background

The cathedral, dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, was begun in 1174 by William II of Sicily and ranks among the finest surviving works of Norman architecture. In 1182 a bull of Pope Lucius III made it a metropolitan cathedral, the seat of the diocese of Monreale, which became an archdiocese in 1183. The church is 102 metres long and 40 metres wide, and since 2015 it has formed part of the World Heritage Site of Arab-Norman Palermo and the cathedral churches of Cefalù and Monreale.

Source: Wikipedia, "Monreale Cathedral"

What you'll find

• The mosaic cycle - some 6,000 square metres of gold-ground work.
• The apse Pantocrator - a Christ whose face is about two metres wide.
• The cloister - 228 paired columns, each pair carved differently.
• The roof terraces - a climb giving views over the cloister and valley.

When to go

Year-round; the cathedral closes to visitors during services and for a midday break. Morning light suits the mosaics. Cloister tickets are separate.

Things to know

Separate tickets apply to cathedral, cloister, treasury and terraces. Midday closure catches visitors out. Coach groups fill the nave in season.

Nearby

Palermo lies below; the Palatine Chapel is in the city.

Key facts