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wooden muqarnas ceiling, a masterpiece of Arabic-style honeycomb carving that reflects
Norman Sicily's cultural complexity.
The chapel's well-lit interior is simply extraordinary. Every inch is inlaid with precious
stones, giving the space a lustrous quality. Swarming with figures in glittering, dreamy
gold, the exquisite, highly sophisticated mosaics were mainly the work of Byzantine
Greek artisans brought to Palermo by Roger II in 1140 especially for this project. They
capture expressions, detail and movement with extraordinary grace and delicacy, and
sometimes with enormous power - most notably in the depiction of Christ the Pantocrator
and Angels on the dome. The bulk of the mosaics recount the tales of the Old Testament,
though other scenes recall Palermo's pivotal role in the Crusades. Some of the mosaics are
later and less-assured additions (eg the Virgin and Saints in the main apse under Christ the
Pantocrator) but fortunately these don't detract too much from the overall achievement.
It's not only the mosaics you should be gazing at - don't miss the painted wooden ceil-
ing featuring muqarnas , a decorative device resembling stalactites that is unique in a
Christian church (and, many speculate, a sign of Roger II's secret identity as a Muslim).
The walls are decorated with handsome marble inlay that displays a clear Islamic aesthet-
ic, and the carved marble in the floor is breathtaking: marble was as precious as gems dur-
ing the 12th century, so the floor's value at the time of its construction is almost immeas-
urable by today's standards.
Be prepared to queue to enter and once inside don't let the attendants hurry you
through. Note that you will be refused entry if you are wearing shorts, a short skirt or a
low-cut top - uncovered navels are also forbidden. If you visit the chapel on a day when
the rest of the palazzo is closed (Tuesday through Thursday most weeks), the adult and
youth entry prices are reduced to €7 and €5, respectively (price for EU senior citizens re-
mains €5).
Palazzo dei Normanni
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PALACE
(Palazzo Reale; Piazza Indipendenza 1; incl Cappella Palatina adult €8.50, youth 18-25yr €6.50, senior 65+ €5, child un-
der 18yr free; 8.15am-5pm Fri, Sat & Mon, to 12.15pm Sun) On weekends, when Palermo's vener-
able Norman Palace isn't being used by Sicily's parliament, visitors can take a self-guided
tour of several upstairs rooms, including the gorgeous blue Sala Pompeiana , with its Venus
& Eros frescoes; the Sala dei Venti , adorned with mosaics of geese, papyrus, lions, leopards
and palms; and the Sala di Ruggero II , King Roger's mosaic-decorated bedroom.
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