After having looked at the markets of Palermo in our previous article, which as we said, is “more Arab than Italian,” today we focus on the so-called “Arab-Norman” influence and its presence in the Sicilian capital.
The Arab-Norman style is a mixture of three different artistic expressions: Arabic, Byzantine, and Romanesque. This very particular artistic, cultural, and architectural expression was made possible by the Normans, a population of Scandinavian origin who arrived in Sicily from France, or rather, from Normandy. The Normans created a prolific environment for the arts and architecture, giving rise to what came to be known in the 19th century as “Arab-Norman” art. A quick reminder: the Arabs lived in Sicily from the 9th to the 11th century AD, and the Normans from the 11th to the 12th century. The syncretism of artistic expressions derived from the cultures that had succeeded one another in Sicily gave rise to this unique style, celebrated throughout the world and by UNESCO, which in 2015 included it in its World Heritage List. The latter encompasses nine sites, although they do not represent the entirety of Arab-Norman expressions.
Among these nine, we focus on the Royal Palace and its Palatine Chapel and the Cathedral of Palermo. The former is also known as the Norman Palace, while the latter is dedicated to the “Virgin Assumed into Heaven”.
The Norman Palace, which was the seat of Norman power, is now the seat of the Sicilian Region and its parliament. Inside, it encapsulates the history of the city and the successive rulers. In short, it stands on the first settlements of the Carthaginians and on a previous structure from the Arab period. It was then built by the Normans and later modified over the centuries by the Spanish from the mid-16th century and, finally, by the Bourbon kingdom (1734-1860). The palace is beautiful, but its architectural gems from the Norman era are the real highlights, above all the Palatine Chapel.
The Palatine Chapel is considered the highest expression of this particular cultural syncretism. For some, it is the finest artistic example of the interconnection between these cultures that can be found in the Mediterranean countries. It was commissioned by King Roger and consecrated in 1140. Today, it is one of the best-preserved medieval monuments in the world, both from an architectural and decorative point of view. The structure features Byzantine elements, above all the splendid gold mosaics covering the chapel and the depiction of Christ Pantocrator (“who dominates everything”), surrounded by inscriptions in ancient Greek, the liturgical language of the Byzantine Empire. The ceilings, on the other hand, are made of wood and entirely painted by Arab artists. Their very distinctive shape is Islamic and is called Muqarnas. The architectural structure, that is, the layout of the spaces, is Norman: the result is a place that is simply unique in the world.
Another great example of Arab-Norman art is the Cathedral of Palermo, which stood on the site of an early 6th-century Christian basilica, then became a mosque with the arrival of the Arabs until it returned to Christian worship in 1072 under the rule of Robert and Roger of Altavilla. Arabic art is present in the cathedral’s exterior walls and apses, while the crypt was modified during the Norman period. The remains of the Normans are also preserved inside, along with the precious crown of Constance II of Aragon, wife of Frederick II.
These are just two examples of Arab-Norman expression, which can be found mainly in churches, but there are also, for example, the Admiral’s Bridge, the Baths of Cefalà Diana, and the Qanats (underground canals). This syncretism has given Sicily a further, very distinctive artistic polish, almost sealing its vocation as a “land of encounters”.