What is Monreale known for?

6,340 square meters of Byzantine mosaics, the largest surviving Norman cycle in Italy, executed by masters from Constantinople and Venice on a gold ground. 2,200 m² Romanesque cloister with 216 paired marble columns and no two capitals alike, among the most complete in Europe. Founded by William II of Sicily in 1174 to rival the archbishopric of Palermo; cathedral elevated to metropolitan rank in 1182, UNESCO since 2015.

Monreale is a comune in the province of Palermo, Sicily region of Italy, about 36 kilometers from Palermo.

Sicily · Palermo

Monreale

Above the Conca d'Oro, the cathedral William II built between 1174 and 1182 holds 6,340 square meters of Norman mosaics.

36 km / 22 mi

Nearest hub (Palermo)

38,698

Population

Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov

Best time to visit

Recognised as

Why come

Monreale sitson the southwestern slope of Monte Caputo, eight kilometers from Palermo, looking down across the Conca d'Oro toward the Tyrrhenian. William II of Sicily founded the Benedictine abbey here in 1174 and the cathedral, Santa Maria Nuova, was elevated to metropolitan rank in 1182. The mosaics inside cover 6,340 square meters, the largest surviving Byzantine cycle in Italy, executed in coloured glass on a gold ground by masters William brought from Constantinople and Venice. The cloister, 2,200 square meters of pointed arches and 216 paired marble columns, is one of the most complete Romanesque cloisters in Europe, with no two capitals carved alike. The cathedral and cloister joined the UNESCO Arab-Norman Palermo inscription in 2015. The town carries the Città della Ceramica title for the workshops that grew up around the cathedral. Below the Duomo, the streets fall steeply toward the Conca d'Oro and back up to Palermo.

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Gallery

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Known for

Duomo di Monreale (Santa Maria Nuova)
Cathedral begun in 1174 under William II, 6,340 m² of Byzantine mosaics in coloured glass on gold ground, the largest surviving Norman mosaic cycle in Italy.
Chiostro dei Benedettini
Romanesque cloister of 2,200 m² with 216 paired marble columns, each capital carved differently in foliage, biblical scenes and allegory; among Europe's finest.
Palazzo Reale di Monreale
Twelfth-century Norman royal residence next to the cathedral, partly preserved within the seminary buildings; the rooms William II used during construction of the Duomo.
Belvedere sulla Conca d'Oro
Terraces below the cathedral with the full view across the Conca d'Oro citrus plain to Palermo and the Tyrrhenian beyond.
Centro storico medievale
Stone lanes climbing from the Duomo to the upper village, baroque palazzi from the seventeenth century, ceramic workshops along Via Roma and Via Arcivescovado.

When to visit

Best months · Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov

Best
Hot or crowded
Quiet
Mostly closed

April through June and September through November are the right windows. The cathedral is open all year, but the climb from Palermo and the walk down to the Conca d'Oro are easier outside the heat. July and August push past thirty-three in the lower town and fill the cloister queue past two hours; arrive at opening or wait until late afternoon. The cathedral itself stays cool inside, the mosaics best in mid-morning light from the eastern windows. December through March is quiet and often wet, with low cloud sitting on Monte Caputo and the Tyrrhenian invisible from the belvedere on grey days.