{"id":699,"date":"2020-01-16T12:57:11","date_gmt":"2020-01-16T12:57:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zainoo.com\/blog\/en\/?p=699"},"modified":"2020-01-16T12:57:11","modified_gmt":"2020-01-16T12:57:11","slug":"arab-norman-palermo-and-the-cathedrals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zainoo.com\/blog\/en\/2020\/01\/16\/arab-norman-palermo-and-the-cathedrals\/","title":{"rendered":"Arab-Norman Palermo and the cathedrals"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Arab-Norman

\u00a9Bigstock.com\/peuceta<\/p><\/div>\n

Sicily\u2019s history of settlement couldn\u2019t be any more exciting. Various tribes and cultures ruled the island each leaving their very own decisive mark. Excavations and research projects still unearth new evidence of these highly different cultures. Occasionally, they blended with spectacular results. Palermo exemplifies Sicily\u2019s architectural diversity. The mix of Arab, Norman and Byzantine influences is still palpable at the city\u2019s numerous squares. Several churches, castles and a bridge plus the two cathedrals of Monreale and Cefal\u00f9 were declared UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015 inviting you to go on a gripping, fascinating round tour.<\/p>\n

Sicily\u2019s history of settlement<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Arab-Norman

\u00a9Bigstock.com\/Frog Dares<\/p><\/div>\n

As there is a lot to cover in terms of the island\u2019s history of settlement, we skip a few millennia to focus on the matter at hand. The division of the Roman Empire saw the Vandals taking the reins in Sicily before the Ostrogoths assumed power. Emperor Justinian I conquered the island during his endeavours to regain parts of the Western Roman Empire. The rule of the Byzantine Empire would last several centuries. It survived rebellions and a counter-emperor before the Arab conquest of Sicily hit Palermo in 831. Even though the Arabs turned many churches into mosques, they mostly let the Christians follow their own laws. New irrigation techniques brought a massive boost to agriculture.<\/p>\n

Even though Sicily gained considerably more autonomy in the years to come, the end of the Muslim Kalbids dynasty saw it disintegrate into smaller principalities. Eventually, the Normans would begin their conquests in the second half of the 11th<\/sup> century taking over Palermo in 1072. However, unlike previous rules, there was no big settlement wave allowing Jews and Muslims to continue to predominantly live in accordance with their own laws. The death of the last Norman King of Sicily in the year 1194 put the kingdom into the hands of the Hohenstaufen dynasty.<\/p>\n

Palermo\u2019s castles and the Ponte dell\u2019Ammiraglio<\/strong><\/p>\n

You won\u2019t find any buildings from Arab times today, yet we still talk about an Arab-Norman style. That\u2019s because Arab builders and artists contributed to many different construction projects during Norman rule. As such, their distinctive style is pleasantly visible at many different places, such as Palermo\u2019s two castles. They form the cornerstone of the first part of our UNESCO mini tour that includes a chapel and a bridge.<\/p>\n