Search results
The Palazzo dei Normanni (Norman Palace) is also called Royal Palace of Palermo. It was the seat of the Kings of Sicily with the Hauteville dynasty and served afterwards as the main seat of power for the subsequent rulers of Sicily. Since 1946 it has been the seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly.
- Palazzo Dei Normanni: Opening Times and Useful Information
- History of The Palazzo Dei Normanni from The Phoenicians to The Angevins
- History of The Palazzo Dei Normanni from The Aragonese to The Present Day
- Rooms in The Palazzo Dei Normanni
Tickets also give access to the Cappella Palatina, the current exhibition in the Sale del Duca di Montalto and other areas, with the exception of the Sala Pio La Torre and Sala Piersanti Mattarella. The Palazzo dei Normanni is also home to the Sicilian Parliament. For this reason, access to the Royal Apartments (Sala d’Ercole, Sala dei Viceré, etc....
Palermo’s Palazzo dei Normanni stands on a site where the Arabs had already built an early fortification that was later remodelled during the reign of the Normans. In 1130, the first Norman king of Sicily, Roger II, decided to use the building as his residence. Work, therefore, began to adapt the defensive fortress for its new purpose and this woul...
From 1415, Sicily was governed by Viceroys, appointed directly by the King of Aragon. They re-established the importance of the Palazzo Reale and decided to use it as their headquarters from the middle of the 16th century onwards. New work began on the building, leading to the demolition of several towers and the construction of new ramparts. Betwe...
Cappella Palatina
On the first floor of the Palazzo Reale is the building’s most fascinating room: the Cappella Palatina(i.e., the Palace Chapel). This masterpiece is a perfect blend of Byzantine, Latin and Islamic traditions. Built by Roger II in 1132 and consecrated in 1140, it became the royal family’s private chapel. The church is divided into three naves, separated by marble and granite Corinthian columns. In the nave, there is a wooden ceiling with fine Arabic-style inlays depicting animals and dancers....
The Sala d’Ercole
This room, which was the former hall for the Kingdom’s General Parliaments, owes its name to the paintings on the ceiling and walls. They are the work of the Sicilian painter, Giuseppe Velasco, who painted them between 1811 and 1812, depicting various scenes related to the Greek hero, Hercules, including theApotheosis and some of the Labours. The latter were painted in monochrome and placed within special ornamental bands called ‘a grottesca’, made by the painter Benedetto Cotardi. Since 1947...
The Sala del Duca di Montalto
This wing of the palace was built between 1565 and 1575 as part of a project to transform the Palazzo dei Normanni and was initially used as an ammunition depot. In 1637, these rooms were converted into summer receiving rooms. For this reason, the President of the Kingdom, Don Luigi Moncada, Duke of Montalto, asked the best artists of the time to paint the frescoes. They included: Pietro Novelli, who painted The Viceroy Moncada victorious over the Moors; Gerardo Astorino (The Sicilian Parliam...
Jan 2, 2024 · The UNESCO-listed Norman Palace, Palazzo dei Normanni, is the top historic attraction in Palermo Sicily. It houses the Palatine Chapel, an extraordinary space filled with glittering Byzantine style mosaics.
The Norman Palace, also known as Palazzo Reale and Palazzo dei Normanni dates back to the early days of Palermo, and over the centuries, it has mirrored the city's fortunes, evolving under the rule of emirs, dukes, princes, kings, and viceroys who added to its structure as they pleased.
Nov 24, 2020 · Palazzo dei Normanni, also known as the Palazzo Reale, in Palermo in Sicily has been used as a place of governance for centuries and remains so today. It is currently the seat of Sicily’s regional government.
On a plateau above the incessant traffic and hubbub of the modern city, the Norman Palace, Palermo's stronghold, rises skyward. This piece of architecture offers a taste of the rich variety of art, the simplicity and the poised style of the Norman Sicilian kings' court.
The Palazzo dei Normanni (Norman Palace, also known as the Royal Palace of Palermo) is a must-see for anyone visiting Palermo. Its rooms tell the history of the capital and of Sicily as a whole, from the first Phoenician settlements to the modern day.
