The Church of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio bell tower chimes to announce the upcoming celebration. The melodious sound awakens the souls of those strolling briskly in Piazza Bellini and draws the people towards the Martorana. The bell tower is one of the best preserved elements of the church, and is ...
Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio: one of the most beautiful constructions you will ever see
The traveller Ibn Gubayr admired the Church of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio and described it as "one of the most beautiful constructions you will ever see". Over the centuries, the church of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio has changed its appearance: numerous reconstructions have transformed the ancient ...
In the brightly lit square, you can hear the carefree sounds of children playing catch and the chatter of adults strolling peacefully by. Do you hear that? The ladies almost parade through the square, showing off their luxurious gowns made of fine cloth. For a moment, no one thinks about the labours...
From 1434, the church was entrusted to the Benedictine nuns of the nearby monastery, founded in 1193 by Goffredo and Eloisa Martorana. The church, thus connected to the convent, began being called "La Martorana". The Martorana nuns are linked to a singular and very tasty tradition, that of the fruit...
In Norman times, especially during the reign of Roger II, Palermo was becoming more and more enriched with magnificent buildings every day. The Church of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio, built ex novo at the behest of Admiral George of Antioch, stands in the luminous Piazza Bellini in the historic centr...
The ceiling of the Palatine Chapel is characterised by muqarnas, an ornamental decoration typical of Islamic architecture and most commonly found in the vaults of buildings. The interplay of joints and volumes creates an evocative composition, which one would like to be able to caress in order to ap...
The specialised workers excelled in woodworking, as each element of various shapes and sizes is cut, assembled and worked according to a precise order and technique, demonstrating an extensive knowledge of the physical and mechanical characteristics of the materials used. In fact, the interlocking o...
The ceiling, made of painted wood, consists of two rows of central coffers, with concave lobes, flanked by small square or star-shaped coffers; the system is made of alveoli and muqarnas, typical of Islamic architecture. In particular, the central aisle is decorated with muqarnas, which form the geo...
The smell of wax spreads through the sacred area of the apse. The candles occupy a place in the central apse, near and on the altar, and are a symbol of the Light of God. In the Palatine Chapel, the precious Easter candle, which represents Jesus Light of the World, is also lit during Easter time. ...
Become part of the scene depicted in the mosaic for a moment: you can touch the tiles that make up the royal throne, the symbol of the king's magnificence and the place reserved for sovereigns. Touching the fruit of the skilful work of the mosaic artists from the East can give you an idea of the con...
MiC – Ministero della Cultura
Legge 77/2006 - Misure Speciali di Tutela e Fruizione dei Siti Italiani di Interesse Culturale, Paesaggistico e Ambientale, inseriti nella “Lista Del Patrimonio Mondiale”, posti sotto la Tutela dell’ UNESCO Regione Siciliana.
Assessorato dei Beni Culturali e dell’Identità Siciliana, Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali e dell’Identità Siciliana.
Parco archeologico della Valle dei Templi di Agrigento.
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