Entrance tickets to the convent of Santa Maria Nuova and the Duomo di Monreale

The cloister belonging to the Benedictine Abbey of S. Maria la Nuova, founded in 1174 at the behest of the Norman King Guglielmo II, serves as a pivot for the entire abbatial complex developed around it. Square-shaped, it is punctuated by ogival arches on coupled columns, tetrastyle at the four corners, decorated with mosaics, in "chevron" or with late-classical phytomorphic motifsSimilarly rich and varied is the decoration of the capitals with themes related to religious iconography, the Old and New Testament, animals drawn from the medieval bestiary and the Middle Eastern tradition with phytomorphic motifs.
For the first time, a unique guided tour will lead the public to discover one of the most important monumental complexes of the Sicilian-Norman Middle Ages and will help you to understand the founding idea that moved King Guglielmo II, who strongly desired the construction not only of the Cathedral of Monreale, but of the entire abbatial complex. Thanks to the synergistic collaboration between the Cathedral Basilica of Monreale, the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage of the Sicilian Region, with the CoopCulture dealer, a visit itinerary has been built which reconstructs the integrity, articulated in different sacred spaces and in the power of architecture. The declared intent of the Norman king was to become the reference point of the ecclesiastical world on the territory; for this reason too, he granted the monastery to the Benedictines who came from Cava dei Tirreni. Archbishopric since its foundation, architecturally speaking, the Cathedral was completed with the construction of the extraordinary cloister, an elegant example of monastic architecture, a true hortus conclusus in which it is easy to imagine the monks walking, reading and praying. The tour will guide you in the exploration of the Duomo, and your guide will help you to read the Old and the New Testament on the mosaic. Admire the Christ Pantocrator and then move on to the Chapel of the Crucifix - better known as the Roan Chapel, named after its founder - which houses the Treasure of the Duomo. Then you will enjoy a visit to the Diocesan Museum, and the chapter hall of San Placido which housed the assembly of the monk. To conclude, there will be a walk along the cloister's ambulatories. Don't miss the shared experience of the Duomo's terraces where you can enjoy an extraordinary view of the city