Palermo Cathedral

The Maria Santissima Assunta ( Most Holy Mary taken into heaven ) in Palermo is the Archdiocese of Palermo the Roman Catholic Church in the region of Sicily Church Cathedral. It is located near the Norman Palace. The present building was built in 1184/1185 in the Norman- Arab style and learned over the centuries several reconstructions. Because of their first building period it is also known as Norman cathedral. For Germany, the cathedral is of particular importance, since this directory contains the tombs of the Hohenstaufen Emperor Henry VI. , Frederick II and Queen Constance of Sicily.

History

At the site of the present building a cathedral was built in the 6th century, Pope Gregory the Great. The Arabs had converted this cathedral into a mosque. At the " Grand Mosque " Palermo included not only the house of prayer for the Friday prayer, but also a college ( madrasa ), libraries, bathrooms, etc. After the conquest of Palermo by Roger I, the mosque was re- seat of the archbishop.

When the old cathedral was severely damaged by an earthquake in 1169, Archbishop Walter decided to tear it down and build new. The new building was built in the years 1184-1185. Not only the original cathedral was demolished, but also belonging to the Grand Mosque outbuildings.

In the 14th to 16th century the building underwent continuous extensions. The original does not have the nave protruding four corner towers were a Gothic tower. The main entrance was moved from the west facade on the southern long side of the Cathedral, and before him a large forecourt was created. The south porch was about 1465 a portico in the style of late Gothic Catalan.

1781-1801 modified Ferdinando Fuga by a large remodeling the exterior and interior appearance of the Cathedral fundamentally. Fuga built a neoclassical dome over the crossing and replaced the roofs of the side aisles, each defined by a series of small domes, which now cover the exterior facade of the nave. Also inside the cathedral underwent a renovation in the style of classicism. The columns, which were common between the nave and the side aisles each in groups of four on a pedestal and high pointed arches wore replaced by massive pillars and arcs were. In addition, the large altarpiece was removed behind the altar, which was decorated with 38 statues of saints, the work of sculptor Gaginis family from the early 16th century. One of the statues in 1950 brought back to the cathedral and placed on the pillars.

When the old defense tower received a neo-Gothic tower of the west facade of the cathedral in the 19th century experienced the last major refurbishment.

The exterior

In essence, the cathedral is a Norman fortified church in the form of a cube building with a nave, a transept and two lower aisles. Since the construction with two side towers at the west plant was the king domes reserved, Bishop Walter built a large tower in front of the west facade, which is only about pointed arches with the main building in conjunction. At the four corners of the church, smaller corner towers.

At the three apses of the Arab influence can be clearly seen. Explore intersecting arcades with stone inlays are designed similarly to the built about the same time the Cathedral of Monreale, but act strictly in style.

Characteristic of the external impression is the great dome Ferdinando Fuga. Even the smaller domes over the aisles alienate the Norman- Arab general impression.

The south portal, which today serves as the main entrance of the forecourt was built in 1426 by Antonio Gambara, the wooden door with carved figures by Francesco Miranda comes from the year 1432. The late Gothic portico that precedes the south portal, is of two smaller early turrets flanked. In the tympanum of the portico of Christ enthroned between the Virgin and the Archangel Gabriel. 1989 renovations part of the original portico was exposed, on which a delicate tree of life is shown.

The interior

The interior is characterized by the conversion of the end of the 18th century and shows a neoclassical pillar basilica on the plan of a Latin cross. The pillars are pre hides the columns which originally supported the arches between the nave and the side aisles. At the piers is also a part of the figures, which originally decorated the reredos of Gaginis.

Other valuable sculptures are the marble statue of the Madonna with Child by Francesco Laurana ( 1469 ), the holy water basin behind the fourth pillar, the earlier Domenico Gaginis has been attributed, and the Madonna della Scala by Antonello Gaginis (1503 ) on the altar in the new sacristy.

To the right of the chancel is the chapel of Saint Rosalia. In a silver urn from 1632 here the relics of the patron saint of Palermo are kept. More silver urns recover the relics of St. Cristina and the holy Ninfa.

In the crypt there are the sarcophagi of the archbishops of Palermo. This is partly to re-used Roman sarcophagi.

Organ

The organ was built in the 1950s by the organ builder Tamburini. The instrument has 57 registers, four manuals and pedal. The tracker action are electric.

The Imperial and Royal Tombs

Since the reconstruction in the 18th century, the royal tombs are situated in a side chapel behind the right aisle. Originally, they were the right and left of the main apse.

In the front row two porphyry sarcophagi are under supported by six columns of porphyry canopies, left the sarcophagus of Frederick II ( † 1250), the right of his father, Henry VI. († 1197 ). These two sarcophagi had Roger II can be set up in the transept of the Cathedral of Cefalù, they were originally intended for him and his successors. After but had been buried in the Cathedral of Monreale Roger II in Palermo and his two successors William I and William II, Frederick II had the sarcophagi 1215 brought for himself and his father to Palermo.

The sarcophagus of Frederick II is designed to be particularly artful. It is supported by double lions, which were a favorite motif of Roger II and, inter alia, are also shown in the mosaic of the hall Rogers in the Norman Palace and the coronation mantle. In this sarcophagus next to Frederick II were the kings Friedrich III. († 1338 ) and Peter II († 1342 ) was buried. As 1782, the coffin was opened, they found the body of Frederick II intact. Since he was first converted after his death in Castel Fiorentino near Lucera to Messina and buried only in February 1251 in Palermo, a rotting prophylactic treatment must be adopted. That was the corpse still get 500 years later, however, in this case, less the preservation methods used but rather attributable to the favorable climatic conditions that favored a natural preservation of the corpse, as evidenced by numerous other discoveries in the area of ​​Palermo.

In the second row two porphyry sarcophagi are under six mosaic-decorated pillared canopies, on the left of Roger II († 1154 ), the right of his daughter Constance of Sicily ( † 1198 ), the wife of Henry VI. and mother of Frederick II

In a Roman sarcophagus from the 3rd or 4th century on the right wall are the remains of Constance of Aragon ( † 1222 ), the wife of Frederick II

The Treasury

Access to the treasury is to the right of the chapel of Saint Rosalia. In the treasury, especially liturgical vestments are issued.

The centerpiece of the collection is a crown, which was made after the model of the crown of the Byzantine emperor ( Kamelaukion ). Characteristic are the Seitengehänge ( Pendilien ). This crown had given to the grave with Frederick II and his wife Constance of Aragon.