Mad About Mosaic

Monreale was a short bus ride from here yesterday. The Cathedral there, built to rival Cappella Palatina, which we saw on Sunday, certainly does. Every inch of the interior is covered with biblical scenes in the most amazing detail. Thinking I would not be able to do the mosaics justice, I only took one picture.

I’m now thinking that it doesn’t matter if there are better photographs to be found on the web. The point is that this is my record, and is there to remind me of what I’ve seen (my memory needs all the help it can get these days).

As you can see, they didn’t hold back from using gold. The whole building was apparently completed in four years. Not only is it amazing that all the building and decorations were finished in this short time, but also where did the money come from?

Within the Cathedral are the sarcophagi of Williams I and II (of Sicily) the second and third kings of Sicily respectively. William I was given the nickname ‘the bad’ while his son was known as ‘the good’ for no legitimate reason in either case according to Wikipedia. Seems a tad unfair. To add insult to injury ‘the bad’ William has a porphyry sarcophagus which, although a lovely stone, looks a tad dull next to ‘the good’ William’s white marble sarcophagus.

The bus to Monreale, and back to Palermo, both left slap bang on time and only cost €1.40 each way. I am impressed.