Monreale Half-day Tour from Palermo
Palermo, Italy
Trip Type: Half-day Tours
Duration: Flexible
The Cathedral and the Cloister of Monreale were part of a self-sufficient and fortified complex on the slopes of Mount Caputo.
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The Cathedral and the Cloister of Monreale were part of a self-sufficient and fortified complex on the slopes of Mount Caputo.Visit the Cathedral of Monreale, once part of a self-sufficient, fortified complex that included a Royal Palace, an Episcopate and an abbey. Situated on the slopes of Mount Caputo, the complex of Monreale was surrounded by crenellated walls interspersed with defensive towers and embellished with geometric marquetry that could be seen from the Conca d'Oro below.
The Cathedral has mantained its original configuration and its origins as an 'Ecclesia munita', emphasized by the two mighty square towers that stand on either side of the facade.
After marvelling at the interiors of the cathedral, your guide will take you to the Benedectine Cloisters, the abbey's unifying, central element, around which all other parts of the complex were arranged: facing the entrance was the dormitory, to the right was the refectory, to the left the capitulate. Built on a square plan (47m x 47m) with six-metre-wide walkways, the Cloisters feature an iteration of oval arches on twin pillars that become tetra-style groups at the four corners.
Western religious culture and Islamic sensibilities blend in the Benedectine Cloister, creating a unique and extremely evocative architectonic and artistic language. Surprisingly, the small fountain is not in the centre but in one of the corners of the cloisters, an unorthodox and asymmetric design decision, possibly motivated by a desire to bring a water source closer to the refectory.
The Cathedral has mantained its original configuration and its origins as an 'Ecclesia munita', emphasized by the two mighty square towers that stand on either side of the facade.
After marvelling at the interiors of the cathedral, your guide will take you to the Benedectine Cloisters, the abbey's unifying, central element, around which all other parts of the complex were arranged: facing the entrance was the dormitory, to the right was the refectory, to the left the capitulate. Built on a square plan (47m x 47m) with six-metre-wide walkways, the Cloisters feature an iteration of oval arches on twin pillars that become tetra-style groups at the four corners.
Western religious culture and Islamic sensibilities blend in the Benedectine Cloister, creating a unique and extremely evocative architectonic and artistic language. Surprisingly, the small fountain is not in the centre but in one of the corners of the cloisters, an unorthodox and asymmetric design decision, possibly motivated by a desire to bring a water source closer to the refectory.
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