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…

Cefalù Celebrates Santissimo Salvatore

August 6 marks Cefalu’s annual celebration of their patron saint, Santissimo Salvatore della Trasfigurazione (also known as Christ Pantocrator). The tradition stems from the UNESCO recognized cathedral, or duomo. Boasting a remarkable Byzantine-style mosaic of Christ Pantocrator (pictured), the cathedral was commissioned in 1131 by the visionary Norman King Roger II after his ship found…

Persia in Palermo

Illustrating the Persian-Middle Eastern influences on Arab-Norman architecture, the mosaic designs of the Sala di Re Ruggero (King Roger’s Salon) inside Palermo’s Royal Palace (Palazzo dei Normanni) are splendid. Unlike their siblings in the Cappella Palatina (just downstairs in the palace), these mosaic designs are secular in nature, depicting hunting and natural scenes featuring trees,…

Dizzying Steps

Norman king Roger II established the Cappella Palatina in 1130. The chapel, located inside Palermo’s Palazzo dei Normanni, is in and of itself a treasure chest of extraordinary mosaics. This is one example, the dizzying, inlaid stone and marble floors.

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…

Ancient Evidence of the Bikini: Enchanting Sicily, Day 5

The expansive ancient Roman estate of the Villa del Casale outside of Piazza Armerina was constructed between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD. This scene of women athletes in the estate’s gymnasium is evidence that bikinis have existed for, well, a very long time! Known affectionately as “The Bikini Girls,” they, along with hundreds of…

Show Me a Story

The magnificent Cathedral at Monreale possesses walls covered with colorful mosaics depicting stories from the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. This image pictured demonstrates the story of Genesis 2:22, “Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.”…

13th Century Laser Show

The spellbinding inlaid floor of the Cathedral at Monreale is a tremendous example of Arab and Norman architectural and decorative styles. Semi-precious stone and marble pieces create dizzying and spectacular mosaic designs. Imagine a world without video games and computer generated design… this is the 13th century version of a laser show!