Touring in the Rain

Our day started with a delicious breakfast at our hotel in Palermo, ready to start a day of sightseeing. At 9:00, we headed out to our first stop of the day, Castello della Zisa, a castle built in the Norman period of Sicily’s history.

As we exited our coach, we were met with what started as light rain. However, as we walked to the castle, the rain began to pour!

Needless to say, we were happy to go inside Castello della Zisa and begin our tour. In the castle, we were able to take note of the ingenious architecture, modeled after Arabic buildings, which allowed the castle to have the medieval version of air-conditioning, essential for a medieval royal trying to relax in the hot summers of Sicily.

And relaxation was quite a high priority, with this castle being one of the first European castles to be built solely for leisure, no defense or battle purposes intended. Standing at three stories high, it was certainly an impressive vacation spot. 

Our next destination was La Martorana, formally known as the Church of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio

a chapel built for an admiral in the time of Roger II, King of Sicily. It featured gorgeous mosaics throughout the church, the first two of which were of significant figures, on the right was a famous mosaic of Roger II being crowned by Christ. On the left, a mosaic of the admiral bowing down inf front of Saint Mary. Further inside the church, we saw more examples of Muslim-Byzantine hybridity, as the decoration showed characteristics of both styles.

Moving next door, we went into the Church of San Cataldo. Although it was heavily restored, were able to get an idea of the original splendor.

The rain was now a drizzle, we walked to our final destination before lunch, the Cathedral of Palermo. Outside, we were greeted by a furry friend, who was dressed well for the wet weather.

Inside the Cathedral, we were able to view the tomb of King Roger II along with several chapels belonging to various saints.

After a hearty lunch, we all reconvened for our final tour of the day, the Palazzo die Normanni. This palace is still the seat of government for the Sicilian region and holds legislative sessions. 

We headed upstairs to the Capella Palatina, the private royal chapel. Decorated with more extravagant mosaics, the immediate effect upon entering was awe. 

This chapel again reinforced the hybridity of the Sicilian style in the Norman period, as we saw features from different religions and cultures.

After a full day of touring, many were ready to head back to the hotel while some stayed to view an art exhibit in the Palace. Exiting the palace, we saw that the sun had finally come out, just in time for us to head back to our hotel for some well-deserved rest.

Ciao!

Christina Stafford