Monreale

On the outskirts of Palermo, on the site of Mons Regalis—once a hunting estate for the Norman kings—we find Monreale Cathedral (12th century).

Thanks to the evocative pretext of a premonitory dream in which the Norman King William II discovered a treasure hidden by his father, the construction of one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Europe was promoted.

HISTORY OF MONREALE

In the 12th century, the Normans chose the elevated area of the Arab village of Balharā to establish an oasis of retreat for their monarchs. This was where they had their hunting grounds when they were not fighting and governing.

According to legend, King William II had a dream in 1171 in which the Virgin Mary appeared to him, revealing the location—under a carob tree—of an immense treasure (his father’s war booty), with which William was to build a temple dedicated to her.

In reality, Musta’izz bi’llah, «He who exalts God,» as the Norman king William II liked to call himself, had his authority undermined by the ostentatious display of power by the English archbishop of Palermo, Walter of the Mill, who had garnered support among the local nobility.

Aiming to combat this center of power, the king financed the construction of Monreale Cathedral, so appeasing the Papacy that the Pope granted his blessing, converting the temple into a Cathedral and the Abbot into Archbishop, defying Walter’s authority.

The building follows the model of the great Benedictine basilicas of Cluniac origin. The completion of the project was extremely rapid, as the work was completed in ten years (1174), although its financing remains a mystery. Whatever the outcome, Monreale Cathedral became the most important Norman building in Europe, while also representing a symbiosis of the application of Arab and European artistic movements, combining the most magnificent medieval mosaics of the entire Middle Ages.

A distinctive feature of Norman sculpture and architecture in Sicily are the baton brisés, zigzag architectural sculptural elements of Anglo-Norman origin found in Monreale Cathedral and widely used in England and Sicily, both during the Norman period and later.

Throughout the centuries, the various inhabitants of Sicily, monarchs, and travelers such as Jean Houel, Goethe, and Andrew Paton, marveled at the Duomo of Monreale, recording their admiration in chronicles and accounts.

In 2015, UNESCO recognized Monreale Cathedral as a World Heritage Site, part of the «Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedrals of Cefalù and Monreale» complex, a unique example of the artistic and cultural fusion of the Middle Ages.

WHAT TO SEE IN MONREALE

Monreale Cathedral

The sublimity of the work is not apparent from the outside, although the bronze doors (1186) were designed by Bonanno of Pisa, the designer of the famous tower of the same name, whose 46 panels depict scenes from the Old and New Testaments.

The two towers flanking the entrance portico (built in the 18th century) no longer retain their original form, as one of them was damaged by lightning in 1807.

The mosaics inside Monreale Cathedral required 2,200 kg of gold and cover almost 6,000 square meters. They were not completed until 1182 and involved Greek, Sicilian, Byzantine, and probably Venetian artists sent by the Pope for the later mosaics in the nave and walls.

Interior and apse of Monreale Cathedral

The mosaic themes span the Creation to the Passion of Christ, following a linear clockwise chronology. The apse is presided over by a 13 by 7 meter Pantocrator, crowning the hierarchy of the Virgin, angels, and saints.

The transepts contain the bodies of King William I and II to the south (right), and of Margaret, Roger, and Henry, the wife and children of William I to the north (left transept). Of note are the chapels of San Castrense, San Benedetto, and the Holy Crucifix, a beautiful example of Baroque mixed marble.

Apart from the treasures adjacent to the tombs—part of the Diocesan Museum—it is essential to climb the 180 steps leading to the roof, which allow us to admire the cloisters from above and offer a panoramic view of Palermo from Monreale.

Cloister of Monreale Cathedral

The Monreale cloister, which we will access from the outside, is part of the Benedictine monastery attached to the cathedral. The porticoed arches contain 228 richly decorated columns with 12th-century Romanesque capitals, the work of Burgundian and Provençal masons, and with iconography that combines religious elements with paganism, classical elements, and popular mythology.

In addition to the Duomo, it’s not a bad idea to spend a couple of hours exploring the rest of Monreale at a leisurely pace. Some notable buildings and monuments include the Royal Palace (the seat of the monarchs and now the town hall), Palazzo Cutò, the cemetery with its neo-Gothic pantheons, the Basilica of San Martino delle Scale, and 18th-century churches such as Sant’Antonio di Padova, San Giuseppe, and Michele Arcangelo, among many others.

Excursions and tours to Monreale

From Palermo, there are numerous guided excursions to Monreale, focusing on a visit to the Duomo.

Tickets to the Monreale Duomo

Hotels and accommodations in Monreale

How to get to Monreale

If you have a rental car, you can choose to arrive by car to Monreale, although it should be noted that the town is small and it’s best to park at the entrance. The most convenient option if you’re not in a hurry is bus 389, which you can take from Palermo’s Piazza Indipendenza, next to the Norman Palace. After negotiating the heavy traffic on Via Calatafami, it goes up to Monreale, stopping at the entrance. From there, it’s a five-minute walk to the cathedral.

Finally, you can book a transfer that includes a guided tour of Palermo. If you’re interested, please write to us.