Description of the attraction
Cefalu Cathedral is the main Roman Catholic church in the city, built in the first half of the 12th century in the Norman style. According to legend, King Roger II himself made a vow to build this church, who happily escaped during a sea storm, mooring to the shores of Cefalu. A majestic fortress-like building looms over the medieval city, reflecting the vulnerability of this place in the face of natural elements. Over its long history, the church has undergone a number of significant changes, and little has survived from its original appearance.
The cathedral was built on the site of an ancient settlement, which is confirmed by the finds of a Roman road and early Christian mosaics (6th century). Construction began in 1131, and the mosaics of the apse are dated 1145, at the same time sarcophagi were placed here for Roger II and his wife. From 1172 to 1215, the church was abandoned, and the royal sarcophagi were moved to the Cathedral of Palermo. Then construction work resumed - the facade was completed in 1240, and in 1267 the new church was consecrated by Archbishop Albano. Finally, in 1472, according to the project of the architect Ambrogio da Como, a portico was added between the two towers of the façade.
There is an open space in front of the cathedral - the so-called "tournamenti", which was once a cemetery. According to legend, it was created from the earth brought from Jerusalem, since it has a distinctive property - the rapid mummification of bodies.
The famous façade features two Norman towers with vaulted windows, each topped with a small spire. The 15th-century portico consists of three arches, the outer ones are pointed and supported by four columns. Here is also the Porta Regum, an exquisitely decorated marble Royal door with frescoes.
Inside, the cathedral has the shape of a Latin cross - a central nave and two side chapels, separated by a gallery of antique columns: 14 are made of pink granite, and two are of green Roman marble. Behind the middle cross you can see a very unusual combination of styles - Romanesque with its massive simple forms and pointed arches, which are the forerunners of the Gothic style.
It was probably assumed that the entire interior of the cathedral would be decorated with mosaics, but they were made only in the presbytery. For these purposes, Roger II invited craftsmen from Constantinople here, who adapted the typical Byzantine decorative art for the Norman building. Among the mosaics, the images of Christ Pantokrator and the Virgin Mary stand out especially - they are considered the best Byzantine mosaics in all of Italy. Also worth noticing are several tombstones, including antique sarcophagi, a medieval tomb, and the crypt of Bishop Castelli from the 18th century. The baptismal font, carved from solid stone in the 12th century, is decorated with four small sculptures of lions. Here you can also see a canvas depicting the Madonna by Antonello Gagini and a painted wooden crucifix by Guglielmo da Pesaro.
The cloister of the cathedral consists of pointed arches, each of which rests on thin paired columns. The latter have pronounced features of Byzantine architecture - they are decorated with images of lions and eagles that look at each other.
