The Palm Tree Represents Unification In Palermo

Artists from multiple cultural origins contributed to these mosaic designs that exist in the Cappella Palatina, the private chapel commissioned by Sicilian King Roger II (1095-1154) and completed by his heir, King William I (1120-1166). The palm tree, the central icon of this photo, has significance to many peoples, many of whom came together to…

The Outstanding Leadership Of Sicily’s Roger II

More than ever, I’m seeking a dinner date with Roger II (1095-1154) … An outstanding leader, Roger II incorporated and encouraged inclusion of all of the various cultures, religions, and races that shared Sicily–native Sicilian, Norman, Arab, Byzantine, Greek, Jewish, English, German, and more–into his government. As a result, Sicily thrived, and it became the…

On Sicily | Margaret Queen of Sicily With Jacqueline Alio

On Sicily Podcast presents Margaret Queen of Sicily. At 31 years old, Margaret of Navarre was the most powerful woman in Europe and the Mediterranean, and she successfully navigated the Kingdom of Sicily from 1166 to 1171, maintaining the progressive constitutional laws her father-in-law, Roger II, had established. Yet until now, historians barely mention her.

A Curated Experience

Yesterday in Palermo, our guide Jacqueline explained in depth the politics of Norman king Roger II (pictured here, being crowned by Jesus in the Martorana Church), and then applied the discourse to what is happening in Italy today. The inspired discussion at dinner last night proved why I can’t emphasize enough the importance of working…

Connect Through Travel

Connect through the emotions of Campania and Sicily next summer! Join me, Allison Scola of Experience Sicily, and Danielle Oteri of Feast on History for a multigenerational tour exploring art, myth, culture, and food, June 29-July 8, 2018. Ladies from Pompeii (pictured left) will intrigue you and your granddaughter, while kings from Arab-Norman Palermo (pictured…

Palermo’s Oasis of Tranquility

My favorite Norman, 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, jasmine, and other exotic plants. On Monday afternoon, we wandered through the pathways and cloister of this oasis of tranquility…

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,…

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…