Cattedrale di Palermo
Palermo
A summary of a thousand years of history, Palermo Cathedral blends Arab-Norman, Gothic and Baroque styles in a single, imposing building. It holds the tombs of the Norman and Swabian rulers. Your treasure map takes you to the cathedral that tells the story of Sicily's cultural layers.
History
Palermo Cathedral was consecrated in 1185 at the wish of Archbishop Gualtiero Offamilio, on the site of an earlier basilica that had been turned into a mosque under Arab rule and then reconsecrated. Over the centuries the building was reworked and enlarged many times, taking on its present look, which mixes elements of different periods and styles.
What to see
The exterior shows an extraordinary layering of styles: the south side with its 15th-century portico, the Norman apses richly decorated with geometric inlays, the crenellated towers and the large 18th-century dome added during a radical neoclassical makeover.
Inside are the imperial and royal tombs, including those of Emperor Frederick II and the Norman king Roger II. The cathedral also houses a meridian line and a treasury of precious sacred objects, such as the crown of Queen Constance of Aragon.
Curiosities
In 2015 the cathedral became part of the UNESCO site "Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale". On the south portico you can see a column bearing a Quranic inscription, a remnant of the old mosque.
Visiting
Entry to the cathedral is free, while visiting the royal tombs, the rooftop terraces, the crypt and the treasury requires a ticket. It stands on corso Vittorio Emanuele, in the heart of Palermo's historic centre.
