Experience Sicily

Tag: architettura

  • Holding Court in Siracusa

    The Duomo of Siracusa represents layers of history. The foundation–both base and walls of the structure–is an ancient, Doric-style Temple of Athena, built in the 5th century BCE (Once inside, you can easily see the columns of the Greek temple!). During the Byzantine age in the 7th century CE, the temple was converted into a…

  • Night Vision

    One of my most memorable evenings in Sicily has been just after it rained and I was on my own, exploring Ortigia. The historic center glistened, and the duomo was lit up, accentuating its monumental glory.

  • Even The Floor Is Dazzling

    If the 68,000 square feet of mosaic tiles on the walls of Monreale Cathedral don’t mesmerize you, perhaps the floor-designs will! Created by Byzantine-Arab-Norman craftsmen in the late 12th century, William II’s temple offers endless inspiration. The red stone is called red porphyry. The ancient emperors associated it with power during the Roman Empire. It…

  • Romans and Elephants

    Scholars think this elephant is pretty cool. Reason being is that it shows the elephant moving between two ships; in other words, the moving of African animals by Romans to Rome for gladiatorial games, through Sicily. We know this because this image, which we’ll see on Day 5 of our May 2018 Myths & Mysteries…

  • Towering Beauty

    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…

  • Monreale’s Back Side

    Not many people venture to the back side of Monreale Cathedral, but more should. The back of the apse, photographed, is a work of art unto itself. The fascinating stone work incorporates designs of inlaid lava stone, a technique called intarsias, which is a signature element of Arab-Norman architecture.  If you have a few minutes…

  • The Child Hunters of Ancient Rome 

    Yesterday, I posted the long view of this room in the Roman Villa of Casale in Piazza Armerina.  The room is called the Cubical of the Child Hunters. Now, let’s get a bit closer: Note the boy hunting the hare with a spear (upper center), and in contrast, the boy being bitten by a weasle…

  • Life in Ancient Rome Documented in Sicily 

    Scholars of antiquities have learned a great deal from the remarkable mosaics depicting life in ancient Rome at the Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina. It’s always hard to explain exactly what this UNESCO site offers. When I say that the floors of the estate are mosaics with themes that span everything from contemporary…

  • The Palm for Paradise

    These images, found in Palermo’s Palatine Chapel (and importantly, also at the Cathedral of Monreale) depict palm trees. Palm trees are symbolic of different things: In Christianity, palm branches are attributed to the “victory of the spirit over the flesh” (Wikipedia); hence why many martyrs are depicted holding palm branches. We also need to consider…