Whenever I visit the cloisters (chiostro) of Monreale Cathedral, I enjoy taking a moment at the fountain that anchors one of the corners of the garden. Its elegance and ancient beauty transport me to another era, somewhere far away. Somewhere peaceful. The cloisters were built by Sicilian and Venetian artisans in the early 13th century in the Arab-Norman style for which Palermo is recognized. Norman King William II, “The Good” (1153-1189), commissioned Monreale Cathedral in the late 12th century.