Monreale Cathedral and Cloister

Monreale forms its own archdiocese and is renowned for its Norman-Byzantine cathedral. This has been designated as one of several buildings named in a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cathedral of Monreale is one of the greatest extant examples of Norman architecture anywhere. It was begun in 1174 by William II. It has amazing mosaics throughout the cathedral. A wedding was set to start at 4 pm so there were large floral bouquets by the main aisle. The cloister that is next to the cathedral has marble columns that have inlaid mosaics. We had lunch in Monreale. - Nancy