The central apse of Monreale Cathedral features the benevolent Christ Almighty surrounded by saints. All Saints Day (Ognissanti… November 1) is a day to remember saints known and unknown. Pictured around Jesus are San Biagio, San Martino, Santo Stefano, San Pietro, San Clemente, San Giacomo, San Matteo, San Damiano, and many more that are featured…
Tag: monreale
Southern Secrets, Day 9: Charging Palermo
Live from Sicily! Southern Secrets, Day 9: Do you have what it takes to take on Palermo? We started our day at the splendid Monreale Cathedral walking through the storybook of stupendous mosaics that it is. Then on to Il Capo market to eat frittola, babbaluci, cazzilli, panelle, arancine, sfincione, sangue, and pane ca meusa……
Uncovering The Hidden Corners In Palermo
Live from Sicily! One of my favorite things is hearing the awe and wonder in my guests’ reactions once they see Monreale Cathedral Nad its cloister (pictured). You must see it! Palermo has so many hidden corners, like the Church of the Immaculate Conception, for example, that are not easily explored without a guide. Our…
Sicily’s Mountain Majesty
The mountains of Sicily are majestic. They come in all shapes and sizes. Some are made of tufa, some are made of limestone, some are made of marble, some have hearts of salt. The sea is alluring, but the mountains of Sicily are wise. In July 2019, we are hosting Life in a Remote Sicilian…
Monreale Offers A Moment Of Peace
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…
Giving, Norman-Sicilian Style
In the late 12th century, Norman King William II, “The Good” (1172-1189) commissioned Monreale Cathedral in the mountains south of Palermo, where he spent much time hunting in the woods. Legend is that one day after a hunt, while napping under a tree, the Virgin Mother appeared to William in a dream and told him…
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…
What An Apse!
After a Bohemian Rhapsody-style thunderstorm early this morning, we headed to Palermo where our guide Jacqueline guided us on a walking tour from the Palermo Cathedral through Quattro Canti, the Church of Santa Caterina, the Fountain of Shame, and other sites of the Centro Storico (Historic Center) of Palermo. Our senses were sparked by the…
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 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…