This is Cesare who has been working on restoring the floor of the great Cathedral in MONREALE which has what many experts believe to be the finest mosaics in all of Sicily. It was built under the Normans from 1174 to 1185 and in a word, is breathtaking! Cesare has been laboring for eight years on this project which he considers an honor to be taking on. He was so kind as to take time out to talk to us about his passion for perfection and intimate detail.

 Below and to the right are views of the interior  and the altar trying to give a viewer an idea of the expanse and utter majesty of the labor involved in constructing this major work of art, culture and religion.
 By the way, there are over 68,000 square feet of mosaic artistry inside the cathedral.

 Outside in the cloister area there are more than 228 arches giving us an idea of the confluence of Arab, Norman and Roman art. The workers on this magnificent garden came from all over southern Italy.

Just before leaving, we caught sight of a groom and his court so to speak. It must be quite something to get married here !