Experience Sicily

Tag: architecture

  • They Left Their Mark 

    Arab-Norman architecture in Mazara del Vallo

  • Santa Maria della Catena, Palermo 

    Palermo’s Santa Maria della Catena church was built in a Catalonian Gothic style in the early 16th century. It stands to the east of La Cala, now a marina for pleasure boats, but in past centuries, the city’s main port that at night would be closed using a chain. The church’s name, Saint Mary of…

  • Noto, Oh Noto, Wherefore … 

    Because balconies in Noto are striking. 

  • Savoring Sicily, Day 5: Eye Popping Opulence 

    Today’s highlight of Savoring Sicily has most definitely been the Villa Romana del Casale, pictured here. This is the Basilica room, so to speak. I wanted to show you this so you have an idea of the scope of this UNESCO site. It’s not a “villa,” as much as it’s a grand estate from the…

  • Well, I’ll Be Domed

    Domed roof, part of the Castello di Lipari (Lipari Castle) on Lipari Island

  • The Assumption: Celebrating the Virgin Mother’s Life

    August 15, a national holiday in Italy, marks the Feast of the Assumption, the day that the Virgin Mother ascended body and soul into Heaven. Thoughout Sicily it is celebrated in various ways, most often with processions, festivals, and gatherings with near and dear ones at the sea or in the mountains.  The Assumption is…

  • Seeking Lords and Ladies 

    Like something out of a fairy tale, the (almost) 800-year old Santa Maria Cathedral in the City of Randazzo was constructed in the Frederick Gothic Style, a style encouraged by a civic and military program sponsored by Holy Roman Emperor and King of Sicily Frederick II of Hohenstaufen. The black lava stone blocks of the…

  • Exhale in Monreale

    Most people visit William II’s Cathedral at Monreale in the morning–but something to note is how beautiful it is in the evening when the sunlight is majestic on the 228 columns of the cloister. The inlaid lava stone designs (known as intarsias) create mesmerizing archways, while the peacefulness of the early 13th century corridors built…

  • Antelope Roam Here, sort of

    The Villa Romana del Casale may not be as well-known as other UNESCO sites in Sicily, but once you’ve seen it for yourself its magnificence and historical significance will astound you. We’ll tour the sprawling estate on Day 5 of Experience Sicily’s Savoring Sicily tour (Sept. 22 to Oct. 4). I say, “sprawling” because so…