The Palatine Chapel is the most representative and best-preserved monument of the Norman era in all of Sicily.
The architecture is a harmonious ensemble of Byzantine, Islamic and Latin traditions with wooden ceilings and mosaics.
It was built in 1130 on the ancient ruins of the previous chapel which now serves as a crypt.
Located on the first floor of the Norman Palace, it was built between 1130 and 1132, as a private chapel dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul. The right-side aisle is decorated with episodes from the life of St. Paul while the left aisle is decorated with episodes from the life of St. Peter.
Chapel has three naves separated by ten columns, five on each side, of Egyptian granite.
The floor is made of mosaic according to a design that bears geometric motifs, clearly of Byzantine inspiration.
The very rich ceiling is decorated with stalactites and paintings in Islamic style. Two rows of large caissons in the shape of an eight-pointed star close a small dome with eight curved segments. The star is formed by two faces, the inner one is decorated with geometric shapes while the outer one is decorated with characters from the ancient Arabic script.
Once upon a time, its external appearance was totally different to today. Almost nothing remains of its original façade because it is incorporated by other more recent structures.
Originally it stood isolated, the apse was facing east as per Byzantine tradition.
In the same structure there is the union of two small churches, two worlds close but distant at the same time.
To the west there is a Latin church divided by ten granite columns into three naves while to the east, there is a small eastern Christian church, with a square plan surmounted by a dome.
The inscriptions on the walls are also in both Latin and Greek.
Byzantine mosaics are formed by two sheets of glass between which there is a small layer of gold.
