The most impressive place we visited in Palermo was the Palatine Chapel. It is in the Palazzo Reale, Royal or Norman Palace.
We walked through the Porta Nuova, beside the palace, to the entrance.
Palazzo Reale began as a fortress. Its transformation to a palace began around 1072.
We entered the interior of the palace through a narrow tunnel.
There was a long queue to get into the chapel so we had plenty of time to look at the decoration under the arches near the entrance. The Palatine Chapel was begun in 1132 and took 8 years to build. It is a mix of Norman, Byzantine and Arab architectural styles.
Once inside the chapel you quickly acquire a stiff neck from looking up at the magnificent gold mosaics, trying to take in the detail. Photos don’t reveal the magnificence of the chapel, you really need to be there. It has been called the most beautiful chapel in the world.
The carved wooden ceiling is incredible.
After the chapel we walked upstairs to the royal apartments. The rooms are stunning.
The oriental room is beautiful.
My favourite was the Ruggero room built in 1170. It is thought to be the work if mosaicists trained in Byzantium with eastern influence, more Persian than Arabic. I was surprised to see a motif I am very familiar with.
I have many Ortigia products which feature similar designs. I can understand why they were chosen, I love them!
On the way out we spotted a decorated cart. It is plain to see that Dolce & Gabanna have mined their Sicilian roots for design inspiration.
The Palazzo Reale was the highlight of our Palermo visit. It is worth visiting the city for this alone.