Normans' Palace

Italy Hotels > Regions of Italy > Sicily > Palermo > Normans' Palace

The Palazzo is a very big structure with a huge importance either historical than artistic. It was built on the Arab-Norman period between the Kemonia and Papireto, two out of the four rivers of Palermo, on the highest side of the city. Normans make it even bigger and even more great than it already was. From that period on it became the Kings' residence. Other peoples coming to the island in the future centuries kept it as the most important Palazzo of Palermo. In the Frederick II's age, it was also the most important settlement for poets of the Sicilian school of poetry that gave the first basis to Italian today language. Today is the headquarter of Sicily Parliament. Inside the Palazzo is the famous Cappella Palatina, built on 1132 and never modified. It is so a unique proof of that period with its beautiful golden mosaics covering the ceiling and the walls in which are represented scenes from the Bible and a blessing Jesus also present in the Duomo of Cefalù and the Monreale' s one. Inside are also the deligthful hall of Ruggero with mosaics representing heaven and the Red Hall where kings were crowned and the beautiful Yellow and Ercole' s Halls.