Seek great heights on the roof walk of Palermo’s Cathedral. The climb up the belltower’s cylindrical, narrow staircase offers a whole new perspective on the city and the mishmash of architectural styles that make up this iconic temple that sits where different cultures and sects have practiced their religions for millennia. (Where we would have…
Tag: cathedral
The Small Domes of Palermo Cathedral
The cupoline, or little domes, of Palermo’s Cathedral were added during a late 18th century renovation. Majolica tiles decorate them.
Noto’s Baroque Cathedral
Noto’s cathedral (La Chiesa Madre di San Nicolò) was completed in 1776 when the city was rebuilt following the devastating earthquakes of 1693. The Sicilian Baroque church sits at the center of a theatrical urban plan that is known as a “stone garden” for its use of local white rock and its elegant symmetry.
Magnificent Monreale Cathedral, Sicily
The cloisters of Sicily’s Monreale Cathedral were built in the Arab Norman style in the early 13th century by Venetian artisans. Part of the Palermo area UNESCO site that features nine Arab Norman monuments, the cloister boasts 128 columns, all possessing different mosaic designs and many with capitols that illustrate biblical stories and episodes in…
Beauty In The Heart Of Catania, Sicily
Piazza del Duomo in Catania, Sicily’s second largest city, features the baroque Cathedral dedicated to Sant’Agata
The Cloisters Of Monreale
Norman King William II, “The Good” (1153-1189), commissioned Monreale Cathedral in the late 12th century. The cloisters were built in the Arab Norman style in the early 13th century by Venetian artisans. Today, the cathedral is part of the UNESCO site that features nine Arab Norman monuments. Its cloister boasts 128 columns, all possessing different…
The Complex Cathedral Of Messina, Sicily
The Cathedral of Messina and its renowned astronomical clock/bell tower are the highlight of a visit to this historic city in Sicily’s northeast corner. Having been subject to centuries of conquests, earthquakes, battles, and rebuilding, it’s history is complex. What we see today is the result of post World War II reconstruction. The fascinating clock…
A Diamond In The Mishmash of Palermo’s Cathedral
When you visit Palermo’s Cathedral, be sure to go around to the north side of it, pictured. To me, the back side posesses the most beautiful architectural elements of the mishmash of styles that make up this temple dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin. The inlaid lava stone designs (AKA intarsias) are from the…
Randazzo’s Dazzling Cathedral
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…
Look Again! This Is In Campania
At first glance, this photo could have been taken in Palermo, but in fact, it is the floor of the Duomo di Casertavecchia in Campania! The Arab-Normann designs of the 12th century cathedral are most definitely related to those in Cefalù, Monreale, and Palermo, but they are located north of Naples, one of the capitals…