Monreale

January 5, 2015

The  Monreale Cathedral - " the most beautiful Temple of the world "

The Cathedral stands aloof on the edge of the historical centre of Monreale, a small town overlooking the Oreto River valley and the famous “Conca d’Oro”. “The golden Temple”, a fairy-tale construction, the Christian apotheosis of a Norman king’s dream: one morning of 1174, William II, known as “the Good”, Roger II’s grandson and third Norman King of Sicily, awoke early at daybreak and told his ministers he had dreamt of the Virgin Mary asking him to build her a church with the treasure stolen from the State by his father, William I known as “the Bad”, and hidden in a secret place that she would show him.

The cathedral and cloisters at Monreale are frequently cited as the island's greatest Norman buildings. They date to the twelfth century, when the Norman ruler William II, known as William the Good, founded a Benedictine monastery here; this Duomo was its abbey. In competition with the great cathedral being built down down the road in Palermo, Monreale's cathedral was finished rapidly and extravagantly; William wanted this to be an important royal church where he and his successors would be buried, though these plans didn't last beyond his own burial.

*  *  *  *  *

The Cathedral of Monreale, Sicily

By Bill De Giulio

Source: Bill DeGiulio

 

The Monreale Cathedral is perhaps the finest example of Norman architecture ever constructed in Sicily.  The incredible mosaic work covers over 68,000 square feet of the interior of the Cathedral of Monreale.  Today, the church is a national monument of Italy and one of the most visited sites in Sicily.

History

Commissioned in 1174 by the Norman ruler of Sicily, William II, the church was not completed until eleven years later in 1185. Built to demonstrate the grandeur and magnificence of his kingdom, the result did not disappoint. Throw in a little family rivalry with William II trying to outdo his grandfather, Roger II, who built the spectacular Cathedral in Palermo, and you have one of the most spectacular churches in the world.

Source: Bill DeGiulio

 

William II lived just long enough to see his masterpiece completed. He died in 1189 at the age of just 36. The burial tombs of both William II and his father William I are contained within the cathedral.

The cathedral is a mix of Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox design and is sometimes referred to as two churches melded into one. The nave, or main body of the church, is similar to an Italian basilica in design yet the triple-apse choir resembles those of the Middle East and Orient.

Source: Bill DeGiulio

*  *  *  *  *

We have two missionaries currently serving in Monreale.  They are currently part of the Palermo Ward, but the hope is that within a few weeks they will be able to establish a dependent group of Latter-day Saints in Monreale and will meet separately twice a month.  It's an exciting big step for this small community of church members.

Residences of Monreale

Streets of Monreale

Hillside near Monreale