In the attic, the decorative motif of the octagonal stars recurs. As they are formed by the interweaving of two squares, the stars symbolise the union between heaven and earth. Octagonal stars, flat and carved, circumscribe an eight-petalled flower. This theme, which later spread to Sicily and is al...

The truss is a load-bearing structure used in roofing, originally composed of wooden elements, later replaced by iron. It is formed by two beams, known as rafters, inclined according to the pitch of the roof and connected together, horizontally, by another beam: the chain. Thanks to its triangular s...

The Cefalù Cathedral’s organs are currently under restoration. For liturgical celebrations, an organ made in 1966 by Vincenzo Mascioni is used. It is located on the north side of the transept, which was also recently restored. The Mascioni company, established in 1829, specialises in the producti...

A painting was found on the column located in the first inter-column, on the north side of the nave. The conservation is unfortunately not optimal, but the painting could be dated between 1145 and 1148, the years of the mosaic decoration of the presbytery, since it is in Byzantine style. Various sch...

A painting was found on the column located in the first inter-column, on the north side of the nave. The conservation is unfortunately not optimal, but the painting could be dated between 1145 and 1148, the years of the mosaic decoration of the presbytery, since it is in Byzantine style. Various sch...

In the Basilica of Cefalù, there are two pipe organs that are currently being restored. Around the 17th century, the best organ builders, including Raffaele La Valle and his son Antonio, were active throughout the Diocese, later becoming famous and sought after even outside Sicily. The organs were ...

The baptismal font, found in churches and baptisteries, is the basin containing the water for baptism, the moment in which one is reborn to new life, according to Christian religion. The Cefalù baptismal font, dating back to the 12th century, was positioned under the Norman ambo. The two monuments,...

The ambo is one of the focal points of the Eucharistic celebration, since it is in this sacred place that the word of God is proclaimed. This is why it is placed on the south side of the nave, where the sun reaches its maximum brightness. The word proclaimed has the power to overcome darkness and de...

Francesco Gonzaga, during Annibale’s time, was born in Gazzuolo in 1546. He grew up under the tutelage of Marquis Ercole Gonzaga and entered the Order of Friars Minor, becoming a priest in 1570. A few years later, he was elected Minister General of the Order and, in 1587, he was appointed bishop o...

The capital is the structural element connecting the column to the part of masonry above it, supported by an architrave or an arch. The capital, normally made of a stone material, is often decorated according to the style and age of its creation. Inside the Cefalù Cathedral, among the oldest archi...