Tesoro della Cattedrale di Palermo

About the museum

The Norman cathedral of Palermo, commissioned by the archbishop Gualtiero Offamilio and profoundly altered in 1781 by Ferdinando Fuga, preserves the oldest parts of the building in its monumental area. The paid route includes the treasury, the crypt with the tombs of the archbishops, the apses, the Maddalena well and, with a higher-priced ticket, the roofs; admission to the nave is free.

The most famous piece in the treasury is the crown of Queen Constance of Aragon, wife of Frederick II, who died in 1222 and was buried in an ancient sarcophagus in the cathedral. The grave goods found in the tomb, including the crown, a plaque and some rings, were examined for the first time in 1491 and again in 1781, during restoration work, and have since been kept in the treasury room; the inventory dates from 1848.

The treasury also holds an ivory casket, Norman-period medallions, the Carandolet altar frontal, reliquaries and chalices of different periods. In May 2019 a new exhibition route was opened, extended to the northern apse and the undercrofts. The monumental area is run by the parish of Maria SS. Assunta of the cathedral; the site is part of the Arab-Norman itinerary of Palermo, Cefalù and Monreale, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2015.

Highlights

• Crown, plaque and rings from the tomb of Constance of Aragon
• Ivory casket and Norman-period medallions
• Carandolet altar frontal, reliquaries and chalices
• Crypt with the tombs of the archbishops
• Cathedral roofs with a view over Palermo

Permanent exhibition

• Tesoro della Cattedrale – Route with the crown of Constance of Aragon, the ivory casket, the Norman medallions, the Carandolet altar frontal, reliquaries and chalices, set out in the treasury rooms and the undercrofts.

Operated by

Parrocchia Maria SS. Assunta – Cattedrale di Palermo (Arcidiocesi di Palermo)

Visitors per year

approx. 150,000

Admission & discounts

The basic ticket (€7) covers the Maddalena well, the treasury, the crypt and the apses; admission to the nave is free. Combined tickets with the Palazzo Arcivescovile and the Museo diocesano are also on sale (from €8). Tickets are sold only on the official site or at the cathedral ticket offices, with no intermediaries; for schools, access to the roofs is not allowed (adult students excepted).

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The roof visit is not recommended for people who suffer from vertigo, claustrophobia or heart problems; the official app offers content with interpretation in Italian Sign Language (LIS).

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The cathedral is in the Zona a Traffico Limitato (limited traffic zone, ZTL) of central Palermo and can be reached on foot or by public transport.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit