MONREALE CATHEDRAL, Exterior Facade

Hi, my name’s Marcy, and I’m your personal guide. Along with MyWoWo, I’d like to welcome you to one of the Wonders of the World: Monreale Cathedral.

The construction of Monreale Cathedral, one of the finest creations of medieval art in Sicily, began in 1172 on the orders of the young Norman king, William II. As soon as he ascended to the throne, he resolved to have a series of magnificent buildings constructed which would outshine all the existing ones. In his ambitious plans, Monreale Cathedral was to be emblematic of his power, and was to be even more impressive than the cathedral being built in Palermo on the orders of the archbishop Walter Ophamil.

By 1183, most of the work had been completed, including the church, with its extraordinary cloister, and the royal palace, which has now all but disappeared; the elegant portico on the left side was added towards the mid-16th century....