Monreale Cloisters – Monreale, Sicily
The peaceful Cloister of Monreale lies beside the great Monreale Cathedral overlooking the valley of Palermo. Constructed in the 12th century during the Norman period, the cloisters formed part of the Benedictine monastery attached to the cathedral.
The square courtyard is surrounded by elegant arcades supported by hundreds of slender columns, many decorated with intricate carvings and colorful mosaic inlays. Each column features unique patterns and sculpted capitals depicting biblical scenes, animals, and symbolic figures.
The cloisters are considered one of the finest examples of Norman monastic architecture in southern Italy.
