Chiesa di San Cataldo
Norman church of 1154 with three red domes and a plain interior, entrusted to the Ordine del Santo Sepolcro and part of the Arab-Norman itinerary.
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About the museum
The church of San Cataldo was built around 1154 under King William I, at the wish of Maio of Bari, great admiral and grand chancellor, as the private chapel of a sumptuous palace that no longer survives. It stands on the same base on which the church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio, known as La Martorana, was built. Around 1160 it passed to the great admiral Silvestro di Marsico, who had his daughter Matilde buried there in 1161; her tombstone is still visible today.
In 1182 William II gave the church and the adjoining buildings to the Benedictine community of Monreale, which kept them until 1787, when the premises were used as a post office of the Kingdom of Sicily. Later works altered the appearance of the building, which was restored to its original configuration by the 19th-century restoration directed by the architect Giuseppe Patricolo, to whom the colour scheme of the three small domes is also due.
The interior has three naves divided by columns with reused capitals and an opus sectile floor with marble inlays inspired by Roman, Byzantine and Islamic art. Since 1937 the church has been assigned to the Ordine equestre del Santo Sepolcro di Gerusalemme, which looks after its maintenance and its tourist and cultural reception.
Highlights
- Three hemispherical red domes, symbol of Palermo
- Opus sectile floor with polychrome inlays
- Three-aisled interior with spolia columns
- Example of Sicilian-Norman architecture with Arab influence
- Tombstone of Matilde, daughter of Admiral Silvestro di Marsico
- Founded
- 1154
- Operated by
- Ordine Equestre del Santo Sepolcro di Gerusalemme
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €2.50 |
|---|
With the entrance ticket to the church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio (La Martorana), the ticket for San Cataldo costs €1.50. Prices as shown on the tourist portal of the Comune di Palermo, which notes that changes are possible.
Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
The church is in Piazza Bellini, in the historic centre, next to La Martorana.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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