Monreale. The Cathedral and the Benedictine Cloister (English Edition)

At the origin of the Monreale complex is a legend in which - as always - facts and more fanciful elements are mixed. Legend has it that the young Norman king William II, during a hunting trip, was seized with great fatigue and fell asleep in the shade of a tree. During his sleep, the Virgin Mary appeared to him in a dream and revealed the place where a great treasure was hidden; the sovereign, following this revelation, is said to have decided to erect a temple dedicated to the Virgin Mary on that very spot, which in fact is still consecrated to Santa Maria la Nuova today. The history of the Santa Maria la Nuova complex and its cloister is closely linked to the origins of this Sicilian municipality located in an elevated position in the metropolitan area of Palermo. The cathedral and cloister are an illustrious example of Siculo-Norman art and reveal the extraordinary ability of the patrons and artists to harmonise the different local contributions (particularly Arab and Byzantine) with the major stylistic achievements of northern Europe.