Monreale: the history

In the past, Mons Regalis was the name of those luxurian hills which roll gently down towards Palermo overlooking the immense gardens of the “Conca d’Oro”” and the sea. This site was one of the numerous hunting grounds of which the Norman Kings were proud. Infact, in spite of their many political responsibilities, they were particularly fond of the beauty and richness of the landscape and the rites of chivalry and hunting.

This splendid hunting place was located in an important strategic position controlling the inland access to Palermo from Val di Mazzara, an area of Sicily whose turbulent population, composed mostly of Saracens, represented a dangerous uncertainty to the city’s security. Williams II, known as “The good”, built the architectural complex of the Cathedral, the Convent and the Royal Palace with a strategic function in mind and in order to complete his huge programme of Latinization of the Sicilian Church started by the Norman dynasty so as to eliminate the strong influence of Byzantine Church from the island.