Better than the Vatican - Cathedral di Monreale, Palermo, Sicily

The next morning we had a bit of trouble trying to find exactly what to do because so many sites are closed on Sunday or open for very short time-frame. There's so many UNESCO World Heritage sites to see in Palermo and area so we zeroed in on Cathedral di Monreale. It is in a town called Monreale, which is a beautiful little hilltop town, close to Palermo. The web page said that it was open from 2:00 to 7:00 pm. When we got to the Cathedral it actually said open at 2:30. We have found that accuracy in not really a Sicilian thing. Countless times we have found that the websites are inaccurate with times, days open vs closed are completely wrong, etc.

Abandoned marble fountain on the side of the road on the way up to Monreale.

The restaurants were not open for lunch so we grabbed a pastry and coffee to tide us over, then we explored the town.

One of the Cathedral buildings.

The Clock Tower attached to the Cathedral.

Tunnel archway under the church.

I did research that behind the church there was a little neighborhood that was interesting to see and has been there for as long as the church has.

Such a pretty building and street.

Love the stairs.

Cathedral seen between the
buildings.

The Hubers

I loved this door with the fish which was a secret symbol to meet during the first few centuries when Christianity was illegal in the Roman empire.

Marble road tiles have been polished by use over the centuries.

I am in my happy place when exploring medieval streets and nooks and crannies.

The neighborhood turned out to be super interesting to see and then we looked up and realized that the back of the church was absolutely stunning and the front of the church was really nothing special to look at. Boy were we ever in for a surprise?

The outside of Cathedral of Monreale.

We walked down to where the medieval wall stood and looked back for a great photo of the Cathedral.

Part of the fortified wall with a turret or look out over the pretty landscape below. This was attached to the church and fortified in the 1600s to defend against the plague.

All of the peasants below the Cathedral that helped to spread the plague.

A blogger who is a native of Palermo stated bluntly, ' You're an idiot if you don't go and see the UNESCO World Heritage site Cathedral di Monreale'. After seeing this man-made wonder, I would have to agree with the blogger.

These would actually be the front doors which are stunning bronze creations with engraved marble arched doorway. We entered through the side doors.

We wandered around the town for a bit and then came back and saw there was quite a lineup to get into the church but it went quite quickly. We purchased tickets for 7 Euro and unfortunately the cloisters were closed on Sunday, which also did not appear anywhere on their website. Otherwise we would have chosen Monreale on a different day. That was a big disappointment. We did get to see the Cloisters from the roof of the church.

We proceeded into the church and I was amazed by the doors as I commonly am. They were gorgeous bronze metal that were 8 inches thick and stunning. And then I walked in and my mouth dropped.

Mosaic floor

Gorgeous solid granite pillars.

Inlaid Marble floor mosaic throughout the main section of the church.

Confessional stands were quite unique, large and with gorgeous carved wood. I even wanted to confess my sins to somebody. There were 8 in the main section of the church.

The capitols of each pillar were
solid mosaic gold pieces.

Intricate mosaic pieces from the capitols to the top of the roof including the window wells.

You've heard the term 'feast for your eyes', well this truly was that. This in fact turned out to be an understatement. The size of this church is 50 times bigger than the chapel that we were in the day before which we thought was visually stunning and it was. When you are inside this Cathedral and you try to understand the magnitude of what you are seeing and then try to comprehend that it only took 4 years to complete this Cathedral from 1174-1178 AD, it is completely mind-boggling.

Jesus is the focal point and remained lit even when they turned off the rest of the Cathedral lights on us.

The painted wood ceiling rafters were also quite stunning.

This was my favorite section
of mosaic floor.

The actual size of the cathedral is 335 feet long by 131 feet wide. This cathedral was gargantuan and I have been to the Vatican several times and it is beautiful and it is a wonder but this is on a whole different level. This church in Sicily that I've never even heard of before smacked me in the face with awe.

This was a breathtaking angle.

Sculpted marble and inlaid marble near the altar.

This little man boy sculpted in marble was repeated on each corner of this overly ornate altar.

All inlaid marble, this is not painted.

How could I not know about this church? This is a bucket list thing item. This church is something that everyone on the planet should witness what Mankind was capable of creating nearly 1000 years ago.

I took a lot of pictures and the back of my neck was getting incredibly sore. I decided to walk straight down to the left because I noticed that there was a temporary wood wall that was set up. Naturally for me, I headed there to check this out. People were disappearing behind the wall and when I arrived the lady asked for my ticket and she let me in. It was another side chapel that was smaller but had the most incredible floor tiles which were arabesque from the Islamic faith. This reflected Sicily well with a combination of Norman, Arab, Roman and ancient Greeks. Each grouping of tile mosaic meant something different. I am sure they could structure a class around the floor in the side chapel alone. It was too much for my little brain and I would need an extra day in the chapel.

I was very cognizant that I was walking on nearly a 1000 year old floor made out of tiny intricate tiles gathered together into a marble Mosaic masterpiece.

Each section symbolized a different story.

Showing her age with a crack.

Bunnies?

Showing the different coloration of the marble.

I almost tripped in because I was so concentrated on looking at the floor and it was uneven naturally because it was ancient. Finally, you rip your eyes away from the floor and see Jesus hanging from cross. He was beautiful!

That is all minuscule gold triangular tiles pieced together to form this beautiful mosaic behind the crucified Jesus.

He was surrounded by these tiny gold Mosaic tiles just like the chapel yesterday and the whole cathedral has that as well on all of the arches, the tops of the pillars and the ceiling. These mosaic pieces are tinier than your pinky nail.

I spent some time there and I had no idea that there was another smaller chapel to the left. As I entered my mouth dropped to the floor, I was not prepared for what I was looking at.

Me looking amazed and stop looking at that dude sitting down with the bald head. Focus.

Walking into the small magnificent chapel. The entrance framing the opening to this Eden was glorious.

It was one of the most incredible things I've ever seen in my life! This was man-made and construction began in 1174 AD.

Carved and inlaid marble was omnipresent.

The carved and inlaid marble drapes being held up by an angel were magnificent.

This was the center jut out. Jesus is surrounded by 12 different carved heads.

Carved and inlaid marble is constant
except for the ceiling.

Each of the 5 sides to the tiny chapel were subtly different with meaning and detail.

Even the folds of the marble drapes were different on each side.

I can't even describe to you how fascinated and the sense of awe I felt in that room. I never wanted to leave and I have been in a hundred different churches over the decades in all my travels. Perhaps I have been reincarnated and I once was a marble carver in a different millennia? I just felt like I belonged there.

I spent 20 minutes in that tiny chapel. It was a five-sided room but the sixth side jutted out and it was on a whole other level. There was carved marble everywhere and every face in that little chapel was different than the other face. There was incredible meaning in every sculpture. I didn't have an audio set to learn about all of the meanings, if I had the audio I would have needed a whole day to understand. I kept touching and caressing the beauty of the carved marble curtains around all of the statues, the cherubim and seraphim were so life-like that I kept touching, because it was unreal and beautiful.

I was fascinated. I was like a little kid in a candy store, hopped up on beauty and addiction for what I was experiencing.

I finally realized that there was an open door to a tiny museum. The two carved doors had eight panels on each door and all 16 panels on the two doors were all different 3D carvings.

When I looked across there were another 16 different carvings on those two doors that were locked. Catholic churches usually like symmetry. I walked through the open carved doors and there was one of the most ornate wooden pieces of furniture that I've ever seen and I didn't even know what it was, there was no description on it. I snapped a picture and looked at all the different beautiful vestments but to be honest I just wanted to get back to the little chapel that I had left.

This was approximately 20 feet wide with seating at both ends. The carving and detail of different inlaid marble and wood was extraordinary. I had to zoom out to get the whole piece in the photo.

I probably spent another 10 minutes in that chapel, snapping pictures and realizing that each carved face was different than the next face.

I begrudgingly decided it was time to go because I had no idea where Sandra and Garth were in the large Cathedral. I walked over to the other side and saw that there was another side chapel on the right hand side facing the front and that was beautiful as well.

I only had a few minutes to dedicate to this chapel.

But at that point I was so saturated and overwhelmed that I wasn't even sure what country I was in, I heard someone call 'Nadine' and it was Garth. They were equally as enamored of what they were seeing as I was and they had not been in 'my' chapel yet. He said they were going up on the Cathedral roof, this was included in our ticket. I was ready to go and see this section of the church but I was not overly excited, but it turned out to be so much fun!

Only one floor up at this point.

Getting higher.

If claustrophobic then this would
not have been so much fun for you.

Looking through the roof tunnel window into a perfectly framed arch two stories down into the cathedral.

This was such a unique vantage point to see the Sea in the background the countryside and the side of the top of the Cathedral.

More ducking to come to accommodate the low roof.

Arab influence in the
shape of this window.

Hello beautiful.

Town of Monreale below.

We walked up all these ancient stairs with these narrow entryways and lower roofs to different levels of different little museums that had different displays. Everything from solid silver dishes of the church to highly ornate vestments and gold jewelry of crosses with jewels and Pope's hats (mitre) with jewels.

These were solid gold 6 inch crosses with large gemstones.

Various mitres.

Copper templates for Bible printing.

Records of marriages and births etc dating back to the 1500s was the earliest that we could find.

These solid silver teapots need a shine up. These were each 2 feet high.

We walked up to the next level and then we saw the Cloisters out the window. We could take pictures only of the cloisters which we weren't able to see that day. They looked quite pretty, all of the 216 twin pillars had different curved capitals with various inlaid gold mosaics in the pillars. They were quite visually stunning as well.

We kept walking up until we got to the top catwalk on the roof and the views were absolutely incredible. Even the roof tiles on top of the church were gorgeous. They were this really unique patina green color.

We continued walking and came around to the end where there was a top bell tower turret area which you could walk up to and through and down and all along the sides.

I was enjoying that way too much.

I know that Garth and I both love history and both of us were enjoying walking around this 1000 year old structure.

The bell tower. I tend to take many crooked shots, I am not sure why?

Below the turret, standing and admiring the view of the Sea and town.

When we were inside the tunnels walking the length of the church looking down into the Cathedral windows. It was a really good vantage point. It was just so much fun to explore because a lot of these different tunnels were made for defensive reasons because at one time this church was fortified.

Me walking the length of the church but on the roof a couple of stories up.

I had just asked Sandra and Garth if they had seen the tiny chapel yet and they had not and I was kind of glad they hadn't because I wanted to see it again.

The three of us entered and I spent another half hour in that little chapel.

Panoramic photo.

The inlaid marble floor when you enter the chapel has a Latin verse in-scripted in brass letters.

This hollow marble glove was so interesting. It appeared one other time on the other side of the room. It seemed random but most likely has a deep meaning. It very much resembled the armored glove of a Knight.

Compare the subtle differences of this photo and the photo below.

This and the next two photos
have subtle differences.

This face was very life-like.

This mural at the front is done in inlaid marble.

I am assuming these were the 12 Apostles surrounding Jesus.

This was the intricately carved marble ceiling over the vestibule jut out.

This pillow he was kneeling on
looked real.

The floor in the center of this chapel
was of a ship tossing someone overboard, it
did seem out of place.

Cute and life-like.

A closer look at the floor with the waves
crashing against the side of the ship.

Each angel face was different.

To be honest, we shut the church down. The lights went off in the main part of the church and we realized we should probably get going.

A silhouette of Sandra leaving the chapel.

As we left the Cathedral this was strangely lit and I could not see where the light was coming from.

There was a mass going on in one of the extra side chapels that I hadn't even explored yet. I popped my head in to listen to the priest but the incense was so thick I had to leave quickly.

This UNESCO World Heritage site, Cathedral di Monreale is a true masterpiece and is honestly (I repeat) one of the best man-made experiences, maybe even the best that I have ever seen.

You should see it!