Church of San Cataldo

Church of San Cataldo
San Cataldo, Palermo, with its typical red domes
Religion
Affiliation	Catholic Church
Province	Knights of the Holy Sepulchre[1]
Location
Location	Piazza Bellini 3, Kalsa, Palermo, 90133
Geographic coordinates	38°06′53″N 13°21′45″E / 38.1148°N 13.3625°E / 38.1148; 13.3625
Architecture
Type	Church
Style	Romanesque[1]
Completed	1154[1]
Europe and North America

The Church of San Cataldo is a Catholic church located at Piazza Bellini, in central Palermo, Sicily, Italy. Erected in 1154 as a notable example of the Arab-Norman architecture which flourished in Sicily under Norman rule on the island, the church is annexed to that of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio. Since the 1930s, it belongs to the Order of the Holy Sepulchre.

In 2015, it received status as a World Heritage Site.

History and overview

Founded around 1160 by admiral

, in the 18th century the church was used as a post office. In the 19th century it was restored and brought back to a form more similar to the original Mediaeval edifice.

It has a rectangular plan with blind arches, partially occupied by windows. The ceiling has three characteristics red, bulge domes (cubole) and Arab-style

in England. At the same time, the church shows features shared by Islamic and Byzantine architecture, such as the preference for cubic forms, the blind arches which articulate the external walls of the church, and the typical spherical red domes on the roof.

The interior has a nave with two aisles. The naked walls are faced by spolia columns with Byzantine style arcades. The pavement is the original one and has a splendid mosaic decoration. Also original is the main altar.

The old City Wall can be seen running underneath the Church.

See also

• Catald, Irish monk and saint
• Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale
• History of medieval Arabic and Western European domes

References

External links

• (in Italian) Description page in Italian