Cefalù: Duomo … Itinerario Rosso

After a good night’s rest, our morning followed yesterday’s routine … breakfast; swim for Mui ... even though it was clearly going to be an overcast day. Then we set out to do some sightseeing … earlier than yesterday.

The Duomo di Cefalù is one of the nine structures included in the UNESCO listing … a grouping referred to as “Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale.”

Tradition has it that after Roger II, King of Sicily, survived a storm that landed him on the beach in what is now Cefalù, he vowed to build a Roman Catholic church here. He made good on his promise and the cathedral was constructed between 1131-1240. That it is in the Norman architectural style comes as no surprise since at that time Sicily was under Norman rule. It was conceived as a church-fortress and royal mausoleum for Roger II … though the latter did not eventuate.

The presbytery is partially decorated with golden mosaics. It is likely that the interior was to be entirely covered in mosaics, but the work was never completed. The masters brought in by Roger II were from Constantinople (now İstanbul) … hence the distinct Byzantine-style of the mosaics.

Said mosaics being a highlight of the cathedral, it is recommended to take a self-guided tour that allows one to enter the apse to see them up close. Only one of the three available tours includes the mosaics — the Red Itinerary … €10pp senior rate.

Tickets in hand, we were directed to begin the tour by climbing the 80 steps inside the north tower to connect to a walkway that crosses to the south tower and then on to a rooftop balcony. Then 80 steps down to the base of the south tower … followed by a visit to the presbytery behind the red velvet rope. Religious or not, one would be hard-pressed not to appreciate the work that has gone into the mosaics.

Next, around to the other side of the church to the sacristy and the cathedral treasury … the latter filled with over 100 artifacts … most, if not all, the work of Sicilian gold- and silversmiths.

We didn’t realize that our tour would actually take us to Palazzo Vescovile, the 17th century bishop’s palace, for the last two stops on the itinerary — Saloni Sansone, a frescoed reception hall and the Cappella Vescovile, with its beautifully carved wooden tabernacle.

The final stop was at the canonical cloister — the oldest surviving one in Sicily that dates back to Normal times. It was interesting to note that there were columns only on two sides of the cloister … a third side is being restored … the fourth will apparently remain as is.

The biblical narrative from creation to redemption is told in the cloister’s historiated capitals. While many of the capitals were clearly eroded, some of them were in reasonably good shape. One such capital of particular interest was the one featuring the story of Noah’s Ark.

Noting the four different trees within the cloister, Mui asked about the significance, which a church employee explained as follows — Fig = Genesis and the Garden of Eden; Pomegranate = Song of Songs; Olive = Gospels, and allegory for Gethsemane and the future Easter; Date Palm = Apocalypse.

We really enjoyed our DIY exploration of this UNESCO WHS and hope to visit more of them when we eventually get to Palermo.

Time to go a-wander and get a bite to it … in the next footprint.Read more