MONREALE

Mainly famous for its Arab-Norman Cathedral Church

Monreale is a small town near the suburbs of Palermo, overlooking the very fertile valley called “La Conca d’oro” (the Golden Shell), famed for its orange, olive and almond trees.

The town is remarkable for the enchanting Cathedral dedicated to Santa Maria Nuova, built in 1174 under the volition of William II of Altavilla.

An Archdiocesan seat, Monreale was also a Benedictine monastery. Monreale is known for its interior arabo-norman mosaics, which remain today one of the most inspiring examples of medieval art anywhere in Europe.

The Cathedral of Monreale is one of the greatest extant examples of Norman architecture in the world. It was begun in 1174 by William II, and in 1182 the church, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, was, by a bull of Pope Lucius III, elevated to the rank of a metropolitan cathedral.

The church is a national monument of Italy and one of the most important attractions of Sicily.

for further details visit the website www.duomomonreale.it

How to get Monreale from Villa ai Mulini

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