• Italy: Ciao Bella
    Palazzo Reale ... aka Palazzo dei Normanni — Palermo.
    Palazzo Reale ... aka Palazzo dei Normanni — Palermo.The second floor loggia where the royal apartments are located (Palatine Chapel below; to the left).Hall of Hercules ... where the Sicilian Regional Assembly meets at Palazzo Reale.Hall of Hercules ... where the Sicilian Regional Assembly meets at Palazzo Reale.Ceiling of the Hall of Hercules — Palazzo Reale.Hall of the Viceroys — Palazzo Reale.Detail from upholstery covering a settee in the Hall of the Viceroys — Palazzo Reale.Ceiling detail from the Hall of the Viceroys — Palazzo Reale.Antechamber in the royal apartments — Palazzo Reale.The room leading to the Pompeian Hall — Palazzo Reale.Pompeian Hall — Palazzo Reale.Pompeian Hall — Palazzo Reale.Pompeian Hall — Palazzo Reale.Chinese Hall — Palazzo Reale.Chinese Hall — Palazzo Reale.Chinese Hall — Palazzo Reale.Chinese Hall — Palazzo Reale.Neapolitan cabinet featuring mythological scenes — Palazzo Reale.Painting depicting a medieval wedding — Palazzo Reale.Federico II receiving the translation of Aristotle's works from philosopher Scoto (G. Conti).A peek into the Hall of the Winds gives a glimpse of the frieze.Hall of the Winds — Palazzo Reale.Vault and wooden ceiling of the Hall of the Winds — Palazzo Reale.Wooden ceiling of the Hall of the Winds — Palazzo Reale.Glimpse of the golden mosaics in the Hall of King Ruggero — Palazzo Reale.Golden mosaic wall and ceiling decorations in the Hall of King Ruggero — Palazzo Reale.Golden mosaics in the Hall of King Ruggero — Palazzo Reale.Golden mosaics in the Hall of King Ruggero — Palazzo Reale.Marble inlay wall in the Hall of King Ruggero — Palazzo Reale.Neo-Gothic Chapel — Palazzo Reale.Ceiling of the Neo-Gothic Chapel — Palazzo Reale.Looks like a room where dignitaries are now welcomed in the Pisan Tower — Palazzo Reale.Detail from a wooden ceiling — Palazzo Reale."Temple of Jupiter in Siracusa" by Ettore di M. Bergler — Palazzo Reale.Coat of Arms of the Spanish Habsburg Dynasty associated with Holy Roman Emperor Charles V."Archimedes" by Benedetto Civiletti — Palazzo Reale.Bronze statue; no identification (L: from 2nd floor loggia; R: 1st floor loggia — Palazzo Reale.First floor loggia — Palazzo Reale.Golden Carriage of the Prince of Butera; led procession of the 120 peers of the Kingdom of Sicily.Painted cart (ground floor courtyard) — Palazzo Reale.

    Palermo: Palazzo Reale … Royal Apartments

    October 18 in Italy ☁️ 68 °F

    Once we exited the Cappella Palatina at Palazzo Reale — aka Palazzo dei Normanni — we headed up to the next floor to visit the royal apartments.

    The palace dates back to the 9th century. Built by the Arabs, it served a defensive purpose. With the arrival of the Normans in 1072, the structure was converted into a royal residence and imperial seat. It is generally accepted as being the oldest royal residence in Europe. The fortifications and the Renaissance façade were added by the Spanish during the 16th century. The Bourbons later completed the decoration and expansion of the palace. Signs of the different cultures that had a hand in the construction and subsequent changes are visible all around the palace.

    Like the Palatine Chapel, the royal apartments were also crowded. But with visitors spread out between the upper loggia and the various rooms of the apartment, we mostly didn’t feel the crush like we did at the chapel.

    Our first stop was the Hall of Hercules … so named for the paintings that decorate the room. The Sicilian Regional Assembly, recognized as the first Italian parliament and one of the oldest in Europe, has been meeting in this hall since 1947. The room itself was off-limits, but from an open doorway, cordoned off with a red velvet rope, we were able to see not just the seats of the members of the Assembly, but also the paintings and the amazing ceiling fresco.

    Next up was the Hall of the Viceroys, which gets its name from the 21 portraits depicting the viceroys, lieutenants, and presidents of the Bourbon Kingdom of Sicily.

    An antechamber and a room set up for meetings then led us to the Pompeian Hall. Neoclassical in style, the paintings were commissioned by the Bourbon Lieutenant of Sicily between 1830-1835. The mythological scenes are said to be inspired by archaeological discoveries made in Herculaneum and Pompeii.

    The Chinese Hall was next … named for the Chinese figures and scenes painted on the walls. During the time when the palace was the seat of Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III, the room was used as an anteroom.

    Our steps then led us to the Hall of the Winds, which is in the medieval period tower that dates back to the Arab-Norman times. Today, the hall is covered by a decorated wooden ceiling … quite elaborate.

    This hall faces the pièce de résistance of the apartments … the Hall of King Ruggero … aka Roger II. The marble walls, decorated with marble inlay, are topped with golden mosaics described on the website as being “… attributed to his son, William I. The mosaics, with a secular origin, are unique in their depiction of phytomorphic, zoomorphic, and anthropomorphic elements (hunting scenes and allegorical emblems of Norman power). Everything suggests the presence of themes dear to the Norman rulers and a symbolic narrative of the Genoard, a paradise garden rooted in Islamic tradition.”

    I must say that this hall was quite breathtaking … and a fitting finale for our visit to the royal apartments.    Read more