The Chapel of San Castrense has a strongly longitudinal schematic layout, which is also due to the mirrored location of the altar and the founder's tomb. The roof is divided in a simple and linear way into three equal parts by a system of round arches. The division is also noticeable thanks to the p...

The flooring is characterised by two large symmetrical inscriptions. In particular, on the eastern side, near the tomb of Ludovico II de Torres, the following is written: HIC IACET CORPUS LUDOVICI ARCHIEPISC(OPI) ET CARDINAL (IS) CUIUS ANIMA REQUIESCAT IN PACE AMEN and the date VIXIT ANN(OS) LVI MEN...

Behind the altar, there is an oil painting by the Monreale painter Antonio Novelli. Antonio was a refined artist and man of culture, in contact with Flemish painters and appointed, in 1595, "head master of the Cathedral" of Monreale. He was the father of the famous Pietro Novelli, one of the most re...

The ciborium is a small aedicule above the altar and the space where the consecrated hosts are kept. It usually consists of four columns supporting a flat or vaulted roof and its placement on the altar has been documented from the 4th century. The covering can be in the form of a roof, dome, canopy ...

The ciborium is a small aedicule above the altar and the space where the consecrated hosts are kept. It usually consists of four columns supporting a flat or vaulted roof and its placement on the altar has been documented from the 4th century. The covering can be in the form of a roof, dome, canopy ...

The magnificent marble altar with the relics of San Castrense, commissioned by the archbishop Ludovico II de Torres, is located at the centre of the rectangular Chapel of San Castrense. The altar has a parallelepiped shape with four polychrome pillars, with small yellow marble towers on a red backgr...

The silver reliquary of San Castrense is kept in the Chapel of San Castrense in the Monreale Cathedral. It is dated 1637 and was commissioned by Cardinal Cosimo de Torres, nephew of Ludovico II de Torres; in fact, the cardinal's coat of arms was placed in the box. Baroque in style and rectangular in...

The tomb of Ludovico II de Torres, made of light marble, depicts the Archbishop of Monreale kneeling inside an aedicule flanked by marble columns. The archbishop who promoted the building of the chapel looks towards the altar in adoration. The tomb is located in the middle of the eastern wall, diame...

Marco Antonio d'Aprile was a master marble worker from Palermo who, as specified in the contract of 6 September 1595, was commissioned by Vicar General Silvio Tinti to work on the decoration and marble works of the Chapel of San Castrense, together with the Florentine master Pietro Bacchiotta. The t...

Pietro Bacchiotta was a master marble worker from Florence. As specified in the contract of 6 September 1595, which defines him as "florentinus oriundus, de urbe felici Panormi", he worked, together with Palermitan Marco Antonio d'Aprile, on the marble works in the Chapel of San Castrense: from the ...