Rebab secolo XII

The Arab-Norman art is a Sicilian wonder. After three centuries of Byzantine domination and two centuries of Arab domination here come the Normans whose kings are literally charmed by the Arab architecture. Here is that an extraordinary thing happens: the Norman kings summon the Arab architects and together they elaborate a mixture of styles and cultures giving to the posterity what we today define Arab-Norman art, patrimony of the humanity. Among the most significant monuments we remember in Palermo: the Palatine Chapel, the Martorana church, the  Norman Palace, St. John of the Hermits church. To them are added the cathedral of Monreale and that of Cefalù. In the beautiful Palatine Chapel we admire splendid Byzantine mosaics on a gold background, muqarnas vaults and typically Arab domes as well as geometric designs on lava stone and Romanesque capitals.

Photo: Palermo, Engraving with the square of the Royal Palace lookingtowards the Palace, Porta Nuova and a portion of Via Toledo (now Corso Vittorio Emanuele), 1842