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E.Strazzasiti, 3, Monreale, 90046, Italy
Norman Cloisters
the cathedral organ
narrow streets
View from our room
Monreale is famous for its fabulous mosaic interior, and is the best site to visit when in Palermo, in my opinion. Once you have seen the superb interior, do not miss the beautiful perspectives and peaceful garden of the cloister.
Right behind Monreale cathedral lie these lush, charming streets, which offer a good complement to the touristic visit of the cathedral. So have a stroll if you have the time, as this will give you a better insight into modern Sicily.
You may have come for the picture show,but first you should see the promotional billboard! From the S. end of the Piazza V. Emanuele by the church related buildings, find the via Arcovescovado, and follow it (signs:abside?) downhill behind the E side of the church. From across the street (watch the cars!), as far back as you can go among the medieval houses,examine the triple apse. Realize that originally all these buildings were not here, only the Monastery cloister, church under construction and a vast number of tents and temporary shacks for construction workers and artisans, no town! The apse rose above the cliff looking down (A little further on you may find a belvedere) on the Conca d'Oro and Palermo in the morning sunlight. After admiring the fortress-like triple apse with graduated heights, you realize that it does not cascade down like many Romanesque pilgrimage churches which cover ambulatories and chapels.. Not needed here. Now you become aware of the interlacing pointed arch tracery comprising blind arches, columns of varying heights, band inlays , numerous colored patterns, rosettes, varied types of stone, etc. But above all the intersecting arches. Is this Cordoba? William is subtly reminding his peaceful co-existing Saracens, whom his forbears conquered, that his House of God welcomes them too("Come and se the picture show, you do not have to read unintelligle Koranic script on our walls"). Study the apse as long as you can allow and procede to the picture show.
The East end of the church is Byzantine in form with a triple apse. The center is separated from the lateral sides by walls leading to the crossing pillars. This is called the solea. The back wall supports the semidome. An immense area of mosaic fills the wall with a half-view of Christ in a pointed recess.Below leading down toward the altar are two levels of full figures 1) The madonna and 2 archangels plus twelve apostles and 2)14 male and female saints (one is Thomas a Beckett, who is the 4th from the left facing us from a pillar, in black), The Coming of Christ is symbolized on the Arch.
The conch of the S. apse has a mosaic of St. Peter (the conch of the N. apse has one of St. Paul). Along the walls of the ceremonial area before its altar are mosaics from the life of Peter. In the space leading out into the transept are two tombs (there are other tombs on the left at the N. apse). The one nearest to the altar is of white marble with mosaic. It is a 1575 replacement of a porphyry one which was damaged. It is for Wm.II. The other of porphyry is that of Wm I.This is another part of the subplot. Wm. II intended (and achieved) his church to be the family mausoleum for eternity.
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