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Rebuilding The Renaissance


Jul 1, 2026

According to legend, in the 12th century, the Virgin Mary appeared to King William II of Sicily while he was napping and ordered him to build a church on a hill just 7km south of Palermo, Italy. The result is one of the greatest churches of the Middle Ages - Monreale Cathedral. Next to the majestic church, whose interior contains Italy’s largest mosaic, is an exotic cloister that was clearly influenced by Islamic architecture.