Monreale

Well, upon arriving in Palermo, we were quickly whisked off to Monreale, a small town an hour or so away. Built up on a hill, we were able to look down over the whole town. The Mediterranean sea was so blue it seemed surreal. The mountains too added a nice back drop. Both the Laurens and I cement this moment.

After some quick snapshots and a few moments to take in the breath-taking scenery we moved inside the Cathedral. This truly is an architectural marvel. A brief history tells us, that the church started construction in 1170 by William II (who was the king of Sicily from 1166 to 1189). In 1182 the church was dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The Church is particularly notable for it's interior mosaic works. The main apse is heavily decorated with golden mosaics adding another worldly quality to the space. Likewise the way that the light penetrates into the space is remarkable. The miniature apses proved intriguing to me, as did the sculptures that adorned them. The monk's living quarters, that were attached to the cathedral add some cultural significance. The pointed arches that surround the loggia, were an interesting Islamic influence in a Catholic church. The columns that reside under the arches were different in shaft decoration, each one having a different capitol. Overall a very interesting piece of architecture.