The vast glass mosaics of Monreale Cathedral

Monreale Cathedral is a Catholic church in Monreale, Sicily, and is one of the greatest extant examples of Norman architecture. It was begun in 1172 by William II of Sicily and is dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. The church was elevated by a bull of Pope Lucius III to the rank of a metropolitan cathedral in 1182 as the seat of the diocese of Monreale, which was elevated to the archdiocese of Monreale in 1183. Since 2015 it has been part of the Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale UNESCO World Heritage Site. The church is a national monument of Italy and is 102 meters long and 40 meters wide.

According to a legend, William II of Sicily fell asleep under a carob tree while hunting, and the Holy Virgin suggested he build a church where he lay. A treasure trove of gold coins found in the roots of the tree was allegedly used to finance the construction. Construction was approved by Pope Alexander III in 1174 and completed in 1267, with the church consecrated in the presence of Pope Clement IV. The cathedral's most striking internal features are the vast glass mosaics, executed in Byzantine style between the late 12th and the mid-13th centuries by both local and Venetians masters.

The cathedral's plan is based on models of Clunian origin from northern France. Its facade is flanked by two towers, similar to Cefalù Cathedral, and the basilica's interior features pointed arches and columns of grey oriental granite. The marble capitals are each carved with foliage, biblical scenes and allegories, with no two the same. The cathedral also houses a well-preserved cloister completed about 1200, which is one of the finest in Europe due to its size and the beauty of its detailing. It features 216 columns of white marble decorated with patterns made of glass tesserae.

The cathedral was part of a larger complex including an annexed abbey and a large precinct wall with twelve towers. While much of the monastic buildings have been rebuilt, ruins of some towers, a great part of the monks' dormitory, and the splendid cloister remain. The complex also houses the tomb of William I of Sicily in a porphyry sarcophagus and the tomb of William II, which was erected in 1575.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons