The oldest royal residence in Europe, the Norman Palace houses the Palatine Chapel, a jewel of Byzantine art with golden mosaics that leave visitors breathless. UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015.
THE HISTORY
The Palace's origins date back to the 9th century when Arab emirs built a castle on the highest point of the old city. With the arrival of the Normans in 1072, Roger II transformed it into the center of power of the Kingdom of Sicily, creating one of the most refined courts of the Middle Ages.
The Palatine Chapel, consecrated in 1140, is the heart of the palace: its gold-ground Byzantine mosaics cover every surface with biblical scenes of dazzling beauty. The wooden muqarnas ceiling, of Islamic craftsmanship, creates a unique contrast with the Christian mosaics, a perfect symbol of the cultural coexistence that characterized Norman Palermo.
Today the palace houses the Sicilian Regional Assembly, but the royal rooms and Chapel are open to visitors. The Hall of Roger, with its mosaics depicting hunting scenes among palms and peacocks, transports visitors to a world where East and West merged in unrepeatable harmony.
