Restored mosaics to shine at Sicily's Monreale Cathedral

Sept. 29, 2024, 8:39 a.m.

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The mosaics of a mediaeval cathedral in Sicily, built by the island’s last Norman king, are set to regain their golden lustre thanks to careful restoration work and new lighting.

The Monreale Cathedral, erected in 1174–89 near Palermo on the orders of King William II, is a UNESCO World Heritage site that combines Western, Islamic and Byzantine styles and is home to one of the world’s largest indoor mosaics.

Golden mosaics are seen inside the Monreale Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site that combines Western, Islamic and Byzantine styles, in Monreale, Sicily, Italy. Reuters The church is “unique in the world,” and the beauty of its art “is like a dart that strikes you, wounds you, makes you suffer, creates passion and at the same time opens the heart,” local archpriest Father Nicola Gaglio said.

Advertisement The decorations, covering an area of 6,500 square metres (7,774 square yards) and depicting biblical narratives from the Old and New Testament, are believed by experts to have been crafted using 2.2 tons of pure gold.

Their highlight is the giant depiction of “Christ Pantocrator” (literally “ruler of all”) in the apse, or half-dome, at the back of the cathedral. It is a typical Orthodox Christian icon, also present in the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

The glass tiles of the mosaics required restoration due to damage caused by water seepage, regional authorities stated last year, adding that the project was estimated to cost 1.1 million euros ($1.23 million), funded by European Union grants.

Scaffolding used during the restoration is anticipated to be fully removed from the cathedral by mid-October, while the new lighting system, provided by the Austrian firm Zumtobel, is undergoing testing and is scheduled to be inaugurated in late November.

“A key focus is to highlight the rich colours of the mosaics, especially the dominant golden tones, while keeping the lighting neutral on other surfaces to create a balanced visual experience”, Matteo Cundari, a Zumtobel executive, said.

As the story goes, King William II, while hunting in the woods near Monreale, fell asleep beneath a carob tree. It was during this slumber that the Holy Virgin appeared to him in a dream, suggesting the construction of a church at that very spot.

According to the legend, after the tree was removed, a treasure was discovered in its roots. These golden coins were said to have been used to finance the building project.