Cattedrale di Monreale

On this rainy morning we departed our hotel in Palermo (a little late, due to a snafu about moving our luggage), and made our way slowly through the heavy, Monday morning traffic to the outskirts of the city. Greater metropolitan Palermo has expanded to encompass the ancient village of Monreale which, in the 11th and 12th century, was the seat of Norman kings.

One of those kings, a young man named William II, determined that he would build a great cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary. His goal was to build a church that would outshine the cathedral of Palermo. We think that he succeeded magnificently, and why this church isn't more famous around the world is a mystery. The place is a gem! But it has only been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2015.

The church, begun in 1172 and largely completed in a single generation, is a blend of Norman, Byzantine, and Arabic art and architecture. It is basilica style with high, ornately decorated ceilings supported by granite columns. 

The primary feature is interior walls almost completely covered with mosaics of glass mirrored with gold leaf backing. The mosaics feature Old Testament stories of creation, Noah, Abraham, and Moses. A second tier of scenes from the life of Christ, and a third tier of Acts of the Apostles. All are done is Byzantine style, and the effect is stunning.

Our local guide, Gabriella, was superb. She was not only knowledgeable concerning the history, but also was dead-on with all the subtleties of the theological symbolism. She had a contagious enthusiasm for the cathedral. Sadly, we had only an hour with her, though I'm sure there was more to explore.

The rain was reduced to a sprinkle as we made our way back to the bus. We had to return toward Palermo in order to catch the motorway heading south, toward the southwestern corner of Sicily. On the way, we stopped at Tenuta Pispisa, an organic farm and "agritourism" operation where we ate lunch. The bus couldn't navigate the dirt road, so the farmer shuttled us up the hill in an old van.

Everything we ate was produced on the farm -- wonderful olives, tomatoes, peppers, quiche, pasta, and endlessly flowing wine. It was quite a good meal, but we lingered here longer than necessary as they sold olive oil and bottled wine to those who take such souvenirs home.

We had the option of walking the two miles down the hill to the bus, or taking the shuttle. Almost the entire group opted to walk. Along the way, we passed the remains of the Temple of Segesta (Roman name applied later), which was the center of a Hellenistic city clouded in mystery. While the culture was clearly Greek, the people who lived here were either Phoenicians or an indigenous Sicilian tribe called the Elimy. The temple dates from the 5th century BCE, but was never completed. The site can be visited, but we only looked on from the distance.

Finally, we arrived at our destination for the day: the seaside town of Mazara del Vallo. Our hotel is right on the water, and our room overlooks the sea. We've had time to do little else other than to eat a nice included meal as a group at a nearby seafood restaurant. But the town looks promising and we're eager to explore it tomorrow.