The Cloister of Monreale Cathedral

Located near Palermo, Monreale was chosen as the site for the construction of a Benedictine abbey by King William II (reigned 1166–1189) on an unknown date (it was first mentioned in 1174). In 1183, Monreale became an archiepiscopal see and the church was elevated to the rank of cathedral. It is not known exactly when construction was completed but it is believed to have ended on the death of William II.

Apart from the church, the cloister joined to the south side is all that remains of the original monastic buildings. The cloister is very regular and has a square plan. The central garden is surrounded by four galleries. They are completed by an open aedicula that contains a monumental fountain in the south-west corner. Each of the galleries surrounding the garden is composed of 26 pairs of colonnettes resting on stylobate walls, within which are central walkways. The corners are embellished with clusters of four colonnettes, bringing the total number of columns to 208 (220 when the additional columns are included). They are surmounted by double or quadruple capitals, topped by abacuses on which rest the pointed arches that rhythmically decorate the galleries. Polychrome diaper work has been used to trace the shapes of geometric motifs on the voussoirs and curves of these arches.

This architectural ensemble is particularly famous for the decorations on the columns. The shafts of the colonnettes are smooth, carved, or enhanced with various geometric compositions using marquetry and/or polychrome mosaics. The capitals and abacuses are also decorated. While the capitals are decorated with an ornamental repertoire (vegetal friezes or geometric compositions), the decoration on the abacuses is varied. In some cases, the decoration consists of leaf motifs that sometimes include winged creatures, heads, and even putti and little warriors. Some of the decorations include scenes from the New and Old Testament; others are representations of allegories, which are not always identifiable. Finally, on one of the capitals there’s a representation of William II offering the model of the church to the Virgin, to whom the cathedral is dedicated. There doesn’t seem to be any real logic in the arrangement of the scenes and an adequate explanation for the decorative work has yet to be found.

The incredible extent of the work carried out in a relatively short space of time may indicate that the work—five main distinct styles are present—was accomplished simultaneously in several workshops. There has for a long time been some dispute about the training of the various craftsmen: some believe there’s a Burgundian influence, while others believe there are influences from Provence, Campania, and Emilia, or even from Chartres Cathedral. These are the main theories, each of which has a tendency to reject previous theories with more or less vehemence. More recently, there’s been a tendency to believe that it is the work of two successive teams: the first had previously worked on building the cloister of Cefalù, and the second is credited with the construction of the smallest ambo in Salerno Cathedral.

Although it is evident that this ensemble has been influenced by various sources, it has its own distinctive character, marked by a strong classicism and a majestic appearance that reflects the personality of its patron.