Cappella Palatina

The Cappella Palatina is the Royal Chapel in the Palazzo dei Normanni (see another post), the royal palace in Palermo. This chapel contains examples of Byzantine, Norman and Fatimid architectural styles, reflecting the 3 principle cultures making up Sicily in the 12th century when it was built. And they work together harmoniously.
I was blown away in here. These are just some of the pictures I took. If anything, these pictures seriously understate the beauty of the place. These are all mosaics. That is gold, not paint or brass or anything. The tesserae are all precious materials. The effect is stunning, even overwhelming.
There isn't much I can say except that each section is either a saint or has some biblical reference. Or it may have other significance. For example, in the 2nd picture that shows part of the ceiling, there are 8 pointed stars, a typical Muslim design. What you can't see is that they are placed in the shape of a cross. I truly appreciate this kind of interplay among faith traditions.Read more