Cappella Palatina, Palermo, Sicilia
Where our treasure lies
Where our treasure lies
This is the royal chapel of the Norman Palace of Roger II in Palermo, Sicily, whose sanctuary is dedicated to St. Peter. It uses and mixes Byzantine (the dome and mosaics), Norman, and Fatimid Egyptian (Arabic arches, ceiling designs, and inscriptions) styles as sources, representing the three major cultures of 12th century Sicily and using them in an overall Christian architectural program. Of note is the use of the distinctly Muslim technique of Muqarnas on the ceiling, arches, and colonnades. These decorated wooden elements of intricate moldings, like stalactites, create a honeycomb vaulting, as a symbol of universal creation by God, whose presence penetrates down as worshippers look upwards. The French author, Guy Du Maupassant, described it as: "...the most beautiful religious jewel ever dreamt by human thought".