PALAZZO DEI NORMANNI AND PALATINE CHAPEL Palatine Chapel 2

2:39

You’re bound to have noticed the beautiful inlaid and painted wooden ceiling, an extremely rare, original work by Arab craftsmen.

On the wall at the entrance, on a raised base with five steps, is the spectacular throne, set with mosaics and porphyry inlays, where the king would attend services at the same level as the priests, opposite the all-seeing, all-powerful eye of Christ Pantocrator in the apse.

 

Now press pause and proceed to the presbytery, the part of the church above the five steps, reserved for the priests and topped with a dome.

 

Here you can see the mosaic with Christ on the Throne flanked by Saint Peter and Saint Paul. These marvelous decorative mosaics were made by master craftsmen from Byzantium, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire that is modern-day Istanbul. The style is solemn, and the characters are immobile and timeless, almost like supernatural apparitions. The high point of the decoration is a magnificent masterpiece featuring Christ Pantocrator, dispensing a blessing from the center of the dome, surrounded by angels and archangels. Below, you can see, in order of importance, the Prophets, Characters from the Old Testament and the Four Evangelists. Featured in the arches below are the Annunciation, the Presentation at the Temple, the Saints and the Prophets.

In the side apses, you can see, on the right, Saint Paul and on the left, Christ; if you look closely at the figures below, you’ll see they are in a very different, more natural style, because they were added in the 18th century. The other mosaics show episodes from the New Testament.

In the main nave are mosaics depicting episodes from the Old Testament, while those in the side naves portray stories from the lives of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

The light that floods in from the numerous windows glimmers off the gold background. The scenes are narrative with the settings, events and characters depicted in a lively, natural style. Although they are less sophisticated than those in the presbytery, they denote a closer observation of events, feelings and expressions, which are depicted more creatively and with a greater variety of color.

 

An interesting fact: look for the Nativity mosaic, and observe the two maids preparing a warm bath for the newborn Child. As you know, Mary and Joseph were poor, and did not have servants: this detail was added to ennoble Jesus.

TravelMate recommends
Choose the option
that suits you
Buy Palermo
Permanently unlock the app with all content of Palermo for
€ 7,99
Buy
Promotion
Unlock audio content of all available cities for 3 years at the promotional price
€ 19,99
Buy
Don't miss out!
PALERMO INTRODUCTION
1 Audio

PALERMO INTRODUCTION

Palermo spent almost two and a half centuries under Arab rule, from 831 to 1071. The Saracens made it the capital of Sicily and turned it into a major city, leaving their mark on the local culture,...
THE WONDERS OF LOCAL CUISINE
1 Audio

THE WONDERS OF LOCAL CUISINE

A tasty typical lunch might begin with traditional local starters such as caponata, fried pieces of eggplant cooked in a sweet and sour tomato sauce with celery, capers, onion and crushed green...
PALAZZO DEI NORMANNI AND PALATINE CHAPEL
5 Audio

PALAZZO DEI NORMANNI AND PALATINE CHAPEL

The imposing Palazzo dei Normanni, which is currently the seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly, has a long, complex history. It sits at the highest point in the city, where the Carthaginians and...
TEATRO MASSIMO OPERA HOUSE
1 Audio

TEATRO MASSIMO OPERA HOUSE

The decision to build the opera house was taken by the city council, and it was named after the King of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele, a clear symbol of Palermo’s new identity as a city of unified...
CATHEDRAL
3 Audio

CATHEDRAL

The magnificent Cathedral, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, was built during the Norman period following a kind of power struggle between the king and the archbishop.The Norman king,...
LA MARTORANA CHURCH
2 Audio

LA MARTORANA CHURCH

La Martorana Church, also known as Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio, was built on the orders of George of Antioch, Grand Admiral of King Roger II’s fleet of the Kingdom of Sicily, to give...
MONREALE CATHEDRAL
5 Audio

MONREALE CATHEDRAL

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...
QUATTRO CANTI
1 Audio

QUATTRO CANTI

Quattro Canti, whose official name is Piazza Villena, is the result of two important urban projects undertaken between the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The Viceroy García de...
CHURCH OF THE GESÙ
2 Audio

CHURCH OF THE GESÙ

In 1549, the Jesuits were summoned to Palermo to preach and to take care of public education. The Norman abbey of Santa Maria la Grotta was thus given over to them to be turned into a Casa Professa,...
CHURCH OF SAN GIOVANNI DEGLI EREMITI
1 Audio

CHURCH OF SAN GIOVANNI DEGLI EREMITI

It was built on the spot of an ancient monastery that the Arabs destroyed and replaced with a mosque. When the Normans arrived, however, part of the mosque was demolished and around 1150, Roger II...
PALAZZO ABATELLIS AND REGIONAL GALLERY OF SICILY
3 Audio

PALAZZO ABATELLIS AND REGIONAL GALLERY OF SICILY

This austere, elegant edifice was built between 1490 and 1495 by Matteo Carnelivari for the rich, influential Francesco Abatellis, Port Master of the Kingdom of Sicily, on the main road of the...
CHURCH OF SAN CATALDO
1 Audio

CHURCH OF SAN CATALDO

The little Church of San Cataldo looks onto Piazza Bellini, which during the Norman period was the center of civic life in Palermo; at the time, it was known as Piano di San Cataldo or Piano della...
ZISA
1 Audio

ZISA

The splendid Villa Zisa was built starting from 1164 by craftsmen from Tunisia for the Norman king, William I, who was determined to surpass the splendor of the Favara Palace which had been built by...
ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
2 Audio

ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

The Antonio Salinas Regional Archeological Museum is located in the Olivella monumental complex, which comprises the Church of Sant'Ignazio and the nearby Oratory of Saint Phillip Neri. In 1866, the...
ORATORY OF THE ROSARY
1 Audio

ORATORY OF THE ROSARY

Oratories were places in which members – noblemen or rich merchants – would gather to recite the rosary, or a series of Hail Marys, sometimes followed by psalms. This custom grew following...
CAPUCHIN CATACOMBS
1 Audio

CAPUCHIN CATACOMBS

The underground cemetery of the Friars, improperly known as the Capuchin Catacombs, was built in 1599, following a curious event. A number of friars, who had entered the graves of the convent to...
TravelMate App
DOWNLOAD NOW
THE TRAVELMATE APP
Purchase your activation code, download the TravelMate App, and turn your smartphone into your personal travel companion!
Listen to audio guides about the wonders of the world with TravelMate.
HAVE FUN!