Arab-Norman Palermo and the Palatine Chapel
Gold mosaics and an Arab wooden ceiling in the palace of the Norman kings
In the twelfth century the Norman kings of Sicily created in Palermo a unique blend of Latin, Byzantine and Islamic art. Nine monuments of Arab-Norman Palermo, together with the cathedrals of Monreale and Cefalù, form a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The jewel is the Cappella Palatina, consecrated in 1140 inside the Palazzo dei Normanni, today the seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly. Its walls shine with Byzantine gold mosaics of Christ Pantocrator and biblical scenes, while the ceiling is a masterpiece of Islamic carpentry, a honeycomb of painted wooden muqarnas with dancers, musicians and animals. The palace also includes the royal apartments and the Sala di Re Ruggero, decorated with hunting scenes.
Tip: the chapel is sometimes closed on Sunday mornings for mass; the ticket includes the royal apartments, which can be visited on certain days when the Assembly is not sitting.
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