The magnificent 12th century Cathedral of Monreale outside of Palermo. I was stunned by the incredible detail and richness of stone, mosaic and gold. The Norman King William II was the force behind the mammoth project. He is depicted in the mosaic in my third photo receiving his crown directly from Jesus (implying no need for the intervention of the pope). The church is a pinnacle of the fertile confluence of Norman, Islamic and Byzantine design in Sicily. . . . #sicily @prcnola @projectporamor #palermo #chiesedisicilia #byzantinemosaics @poppyseed015 @elizabetholsenstretti @nolapaines @dremmettz #monreale
Some favorite Baroque balconies in Sicily. Delightful and intriguing faces in abundance in Catania, Palermo and Modica. . #sicily #sicilia #italy #italia #sicily🇮🇹 @prcnola @projectporamor #palermo #catania #modica #baroquearchitecture #baroquestyle #unescoworldheritagesite #sicilianbalconies #facce #faces #architecturaldetail #architecture #architettura
A classic one room schoolhouse from 1845. Now a charming home on a beautiful fall day. . . . #historicpreservation #historichomes #historichouse #franklinvillage #franklinmichigan #historicschool #historicschoolhouse @franklinlibmichigan #franklinvillagemichigan #historicarchitecture #michiganarchitecture #puremichigan #michiganautumn #autumninmichigan #michigan
A trip of remarkable churches clustered around Piazza Bellini in Palermo: Photos 1&2 - San Cataldo was the chapel of a 12th century Arab-Norman palazzo. Photos 3-5 - La Martorana still retains 12th century Byzantine mosaics that are the oldest in Sicily. Masses are in Ancient Greek or Albanian. Photos 6&7 - Santa Caterina d’Alessandria features an elaborate, full-on Sicilian baroque interior. . . . #sicily #sicilia #italy #italia #sicily🇮🇹 @prcnola @projectporamor #palermo #piazzabellini #church #chiesa #chiese #chieseditalia #chiesedisicilia #lamartorana #mosaics #mosaici #byzantinemosaics #baroquearchitecture #baroquestyle
The stark and otherworldly majesty of Mt Etna near the summit. . . . #sicily #sicily🇮🇹 #sicilia #italy #italia @prcnola @projectporamor #mtetna #volcano #etna #vulcano #lava #activevolcano #etnavolcano #unescoworldheritagesite #snow
Charming Fontana dell’Elefante in Catania, Sicily featuring a black elephant bearing an Egyptian obelisk and Roman globe. It was sculpted out of lava from Mt Etna in 1736 by Vaccarini. 2nd shot is of Bernini’s elephant in Piazza Santa Maria sopra Minerva. The stunning Pantheon makes a perfect backdrop for his composition of elephant and Egyptian obelisk. . . . #sicily #sicily🇮🇹 #sicilia #italy #italia @prcnola @projectporamor #catania #roma #rome #bernini #elephantsculpture #bernini #elefanteberniniano #piazzeditalia #piazzasofitaly #vaccarini
Duomo di Siracusa: Originally an Ancient Greek temple (5th century BC), then converted into a church in the 6th century CE. After 200 years as a mosque it was converted back to a church by a Norman king. Vestiges of the Norman exterior remain. Note the fluted Doric column embedded in the Norman wall. The richness of Sicily poured into one amazing structure. . . . #sicily #sicily🇮🇹 #sicilia #italy #italia @prcnola @projectporamor #unescoheritagesite #ancientgreece #archeologia #ancientarchitecture #siracusa #ortigia #ortygia #duomo #duomodisiracusa #cittavecchia #church #chiesa #chiese #chieseditalia #chiesedisicilia
6th and 5th century BC Greek temples overlooking the southern coast of Sicily. They include temples of Concordia, Hercules, Hera, Heracles and Castor & Pollux. . . . #sicily #sicily🇮🇹 #sicilia #italy #italia @prcnola @projectporamor #greektemple #greekruins #agrigento #valleyofthetemples #valledeitempli #unescoheritagesite #ancientgreece #archeologia #ancientarchitecture
Madonnelle della Sicilia. Delightful shrines to the Virgin Mary in Corleone, Palermo, Ortigia and Catania. . . #sicily #sicilia @prcnola #italy #italia @projectporamor #labellavita #virginmaryshrine #madonnella #madonnelle #palermo #corleone #ortigia #catania
15th century villa and beautiful gardens of San Giuliano. I didn’t want to leave!! . . . #sicily #sicilia #villasmundo @prcnola #giardino #italiangarden #mediteraneangarden #italy #italia @projectporamor #labellavita