Some places can't say where it is good, but it can't be replaced elsewhere. Revisiting the old place is also a way to travel. What attracted me to go again was something that made it so moving. Palermo, the capital of Sicily, Italy, is one of them.
But my first stop on my arrival in Palermo was not the old town, but a small town near it, Monreale.
Monreale, which means "Royal Hill" or "King's Hill" in Sicilian, is located on the slopes of Caputo Hill, 10 km south of the city of Palermo, overlooking a fertile valley called "La Conca d'oro", considered palermo's "satellite city". The town has a population of only more than 30,000 people, and the fertile land of Sicily is rich in citrus, olives, etc., and is known as the "golden basin".
The town doesn't have much of a stunning view, but there is a cathedral in the center of the town that condenses the essence of the Kingdom of Sicily. It is the most impressive and beautiful church I have seen abroad in all these years.
Supposedly, the cathedral should have been built in Palermo, so why build it in a nearby town? It all starts with the history of Sicily. Sicily's complex geography has dictated its complex history, which has changed over thousands of years, and has been ruled by Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Prussians, Normandrians, Spaniards, Italians, and rulers from all over the world have left a rich cultural heritage on the island, as well as people of different asian, African and European origins. In 831 AD, the Arabs occupied Sicily, made Palermo their capital, and converted the cathedral of Palermo into a mosque, at which time Catholics had to flee to Monreale. Fortunately, the Arabs did not force the faithful to change religions, but the status of the believers was very low. In 1072, the Normans arrived and drove out the Arabs, and the valley where Monreale was located became a hunting ground for the royal family. In 1174, william II (1155-1189), then King of Normans, ordered the construction of a church in Monreale, which took only 8 years to complete. Pope Lucius III of the time marveled at the exquisite church and set it up as the cathedral of the Diocese of Sicily.
The location of Monreale
The Cattedrale di Monreale cathedral is the largest surviving Norman building in the world and the pinnacle of Norman art. So, what exactly is Romanesque architecture? Then first figure out what a "Norman" is. The Normans were Vikings (pirates) who lived in northern France (near Normandy). In 1066 AD, Duke William I of the Normans invaded England and established the Norman Dynasty, which also brought with it the architectural style of the time. In 1091, Roger I conquered Sicily. The Normans showed enough respect and tolerance for foreigners, and were good at using the wisdom of the Greeks and Arabs, so they inherited the greatness of the ancient Roman style in their architecture, and the simple architecture was transplanted with Arab domes, geometric patterns and spire arches.
The Main Church of Palermo
In fact, Norman is not complicated at all, "Romanesque" looks familiar? Because it's the English version of the ancient Romanesque! It is characterized by both Western Roman and Byzantine architecture, with its sturdy quality, heavy walls, semicircular arches, sturdy piers, vaulted domes, huge towers and decorative arches. There has never been a definitive conclusion about the origin of Norman architecture, from the 6th to the 10th century AD, but from the 12th century onwards it gradually transitioned to the Gothic we are familiar with.
Back of the Cathedral of Monreale
Norman architecture spread throughout Europe and was influenced by different cultures in various places, which developed into different architectural styles. Rooted in Sicily, it is called "Arab-Norman architecture" or "Norman-Sicilian architecture". The Cathedral of Monreale is the best example of this architectural style. It is another expression of Byzantine culture and art in Italy, and its architectural style is as intricate as the history of Sicily, a combination of Byzantine mosaic art, Arabic architectural style and Norman style, and even a little bit of Renaissance shadow.
In 2015, UNESCO listed a series of buildings in palermo, Cefalù and other cities as a World Heritage Site, named: The Arab-Norman Complex in Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalu and Monreale Cathedrals
I still remember the amazement I felt when I first walked into the church four years ago. Unfortunately, that visit to Palermo coincided with the Italian nationwide strike, which resulted in too little time in Monreale to go to the monastery. So this time to Palermo, the most undead came again.
From the place near Piazza della Independencia in Palermo, take bus 389 and about half an hour to Monreale.
The cathedral hidden in the houses has already been seen on the bus.
The exterior of the cathedral is a simple and solemn Norman building, which is inconspicuous compared with the exquisite Gothic churches in Italy, but in fact has its own interior.
Church façade
Circling from behind the church, you can see that the façade of its deepest dome has a crisscrossing decoration of carvings and inlays, blending three different styles of French Norman, Byzantine and Arabic.
Ornate churches, which do not charge admission fees, have bronze doors inlaid with reliefs of biblical stories.
Stepping into the church, the brilliant golden light is dazzling. The church is 102 meters long and 40 meters wide, and the interior is like a box filled with jeweled gold, gorgeous but solemn. The frescoes are all inlaid with sparkling gold, built by countless skilled craftsmen from Greece, Byzantium, Sicily and Arabia, with a total area of about 6,000 square meters, and 1,200 kilograms of gold were used. It is also the church with the largest area of gold mosaic frescoes in the world, and is also known as the "Golden Temple". The whole church looks like a fairyland, solemn and imposing.
Being able to build such a splendid church in such a "trench" shows the strong financial strength and strength of the Norman Kingdom at that time
The middle of the dome in the deepest part of the nave is decorated with mosaics to piece together the huge head of Jesus Christ, plus gold leaf and precious stones as decorations.
Mosaic frescoes on both sides of the nave tell the story of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, from Genesis to the ascension of Christ and the deeds of the Norman kings, totaling 42 chapters. The overall design and decoration harmoniously combines Byzantine mosaic art, Arabic architecture and Norman style. Not only in Italy, but in the whole world it is difficult to find such a building.
Don't look at the golden splendor of this hall, but the seats are very ordinary, and a simple wooden chair is neatly arranged, which contrasts strongly with the exquisite frescoes. Perhaps, this is how man and God have a greater sense of distance.
The wooden ceiling of the nave, with the style of oriental art
Another amazing thing about the church is that when it is laid with mosaics, the image of Almighty Christ is created. His grim gaze seemed to be able to probe any corner of the church, making the worshipper feel that Christ was also staring at him, wherever he stood.
The church is also the mausoleum of the Kingdom of Sicily, and William I and II are buried in a chapel on one side
Not only the golden interior of the church, but also the monastery behind the Cathedral of Monreale also reflects the exquisite architectural art of this period, the cloister of the monastery has a total of 228 columns, and its decorative mosaic patterns are not repeated with the carvings of the column heads.
The entrance to the monastery is unremarkable, a small gate in the corner of the church, and entrance fees are charged, 6 euros. After a narrow and winding staircase that allows only one person to pass, climb the 180 steps and ascend to the top, you can see the entire monastery and the lush valley in the distance.
Descend from the church and enter the monastery at the back. The 228 columns are in pairs, each with a different mosaic mosaic and carving on the pillar head, mainly depicting religious stories, legends of Arab warriors and the deeds of Norman kings. This is the typical Roman style of the Middle Ages, not as vivid as the ancient Greeks before it, and even less magnificent than the Renaissance behind it. But there is a hint of mystery in this roughness, clumsy characters, who seem to want to convey their enthusiasm.
These pillars, the more you look at it, the more you feel sorry, after all, eight or nine hundred years of things, many have been weathered out of shape
The square enclosure and towers are typical of The Arabian courtyard
There is also an Arabic fountain in the southwest corner of the monastery, where King Wilhelm II used to wash his hands and face as a pre-sacrifice ritual.
Wait for the afternoon return bus and explore the small town of Monreale in your free time.
The town of Monreale is one of the typical Sicilian towns, and people who love life use discarded tires and paint colored paint to become the home of flowers.
The people of the town have been praying to God for generations in this splendid church. It is not known whether God created man or whether God created God for his faith. They believed that in the world's largest Norman church, people could talk to God. The church is also one of Sicily's most important cultural, historical, artistic and religious masterpieces.
Tips：
1. Transportation: Take bus No. 389 from Palermo Independence Square or opposite the train station, about half an hour one way.
2. Opening hours: Monday to Saturday: 08:30-12:45, 14:30-17:00, Sunday 8:00-10:00, 14:30-17:00 (the church has a lunch break, pay attention to the schedule)
3. Entrance fees: The church itself does not charge a ticket, and the monastery is 6 euros.
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【Author:Desert Rose】
Global travel expert, travel experience engineer, freelance writer, guest host, travel sharing engineer, cross-border self-media person. He has traveled to nearly 50 countries and more than 200 cities on five continents.