Tag: architettura
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One Monster
One of what was once over six hundred, now approximately 70, statues of monsters, fantastic characters, imaginary animals, knights, ladies, peasants, and musicians that decorated the outer walls and grounds of Villa Palagonia in Bagheria. (Photo by Experience Sicily’s Filippo Buttitta)
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Innocent and Majestic
This scene of Original Sin, that is, Adam and Eve with the snake from the Old Testament, is one of dozens of scenes that cover the walls of the Cathedral at Monreale. The Byzantine-style mosaic designs tell Biblical stories without words; however with incredible majesty–using glass, semiprecious stones, and hundreds of gold leaf tiles. Such…
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About 885 Years Old
King Roger II commissioned Palermo’s San Giovanni degli Eremiti (Saint John of the Hermits) in 1130. Completed in 1148, its red domes rise above a garden of citrus trees, roses, fichi d’india, and jasmine that was once flanked the city’s ancient Kemonia River. There is evidence that on its site was once a pagan building,…
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Inlaid Lava at Palazzo Chiaramonte
This elegant window was photographed at Palazzo Chiaramonte in Palermo. Also known by the name Palazzo Steri, Palazzo Chiaramonte was built starting in 1307 by the powerful feudal family, the Chiaramontes. This window incorporates many architectural styles. The decorative design, an inlaid lava stone (AKA intarsias), is reminiscent of designs found on the exterior of…
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Coexisting Styles
The bell tower of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio, affectionately known as “La Martorana,” rises above Palermo’s Piazza Bellini. Over the centuries this beloved church has been architecturally modified many times; however in-keeping with its native charm. It was commissioned in the 1140s by Admiral George of Antioch and originally built in the renowned Arab-Norman style. This…
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Harmonious Light
The Norman cathedral at Cefalù is world-renowned for its elegant amalgamation of architectural styles. Inaugurated in 1990, the stained glass windows designed by Palermo artist Michele Canzoneri offer a modern element. They are 72 abstract designs that were inspired by stories from the Old and New Testaments. Canzoneri sought to exploit the natural light entering…
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Elegant Monument
The Cathedral of Cefalù was commissioned in 1131 by Sicilian King Roger II in homage to the Holy Savior, also known as Santissimo Salvatore, after the king found refuge from a storm on the shores of the town. The Duomo was built over subsequent years and centuries. Inside, its Byzantine-style mosaic of Christ Pantocrator is…