La Martorana

The church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio on piazza Bellini in Palermo was built by George of Antioch, the Greek Orthodox admiral born in Syria, who was the principal minister of Roger II (1101–54). The presence in Sicily of this man, who had a brilliant military and administrative career, is attested from 1114.

The church has not been precisely dated, but an inscription in Arabic and Greek, dated May 1143, describes the construction in the past tense and indicates the embellishments. The mosaic decoration was probably executed a few years after 1143 and completed before the death of George of Antioch, before 1151. In 1193 the Benedictine convent of La Martorana, whose name was given to it by its founder, Goffridus de Marturana, was established beside the church. The church became part of the convent in 1433–34 and then took on the name of La Martorana.

Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio is a church with a cross-in-square plan. Four columns support the central dome. To the east are three semi-circular and salient apses; the main one constitutes the sanctuary. The entrance, to the west as a rule, was probably made up of three doors but this part is no longer extant. The tomb of the founder and his wife was probably located in the narthex, also on the west side of the church.

This church was used for Orthodox liturgical rites by the Greek clergy of Sicily. Its plan and decoration were inspired by Byzantine architecture, but the shape of the arches, the vaulting and the roofing depart from this model. The building’s overall structure is in keeping with twelfth-century Sicilian constructions in the Palermo area. Furthermore, the dome on squinches was not exclusive to Byzantine architecture, but quite often used in Islamic buildings. The structure of the exterior walls – equipped with shallow niches – whose windows are framed by a series of concentric arches, also has parallels in the Islamic tradition.

In the thirteenth century, a square campanile was erected; it drew inspiration from Norman architectural traditions, notably for its corner turrets decorated with columns.

In the late sixteenth century, major alterations were undertaken: the entire western part of the building was destroyed. Annexes were added, which doubled the length of the church. Between 1683 and the mid-eighteenth century, Baroque additions modified the church’s decoration. The chapel dedicated to Saint Benedict and a sacristy on the east were also added. The original central apse was destroyed and replaced by a cappellone.

The iconographic programme, executed in mosaic, was heavily inspired by Byzantine models. Nevertheless, an inscription of Islamic inspiration runs along the base of the dome: painted white on a turquoise ground, it mentions a hymn of the Byzantine liturgy translated into Arabic, George of Antioch’s mother tongue.

In the 1720s, marbles and frescos gave the church a Baroque style. Original mosaics were retained, notably the representation in Byzantine imperial dress of King Roger II (1095–1154), who was also involved in the construction of this church.

In 1870 the church was fully refurbished by Giuseppe Patricolo, a member of the Commissione di Antichità e Belle Arti, whose goal was to restore the church to its twelfth-century condition. He removed and destroyed a series of structures put up later. His restoration methods were subsequently strongly criticised.