The Monreale Cathedral, located on a hill with a view of Palermo in Sicily is a hidden treasure of Italian art.
As per BBC, the Monreale Cathedral, constructed in the 12th century during Norman rule, has recently been restored to its original beauty and condition.
It is home to the largest Byzantine-style mosaics in Italy, second only to those in Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.
The mosaics in the Monreale Cathedral were created to have a strong emotional impact on visitors, evoking feelings of awe, humility and inspiration.
The mosaics cover an area of more than 6,400 square meters and are made with approximately 2.2 kilograms of solid gold
As per the outlet, the restoration took more than a year to complete, during which the cathedral became a construction area.
Local experts from the Italian Ministry of Culture guided a series of restoration efforts, beginning with the removal of a thick layer of dust.
Father Nicola Gaglio, a priest for 17 years, said that working on the mosaics was both a difficult task and an important responsibility.
He added, The team approached this work almost on their tiptoes. At times, there were some unforeseen issues and they had to pause the operations while they found a solution.”
Nicola further added, “For example, when they got to the ceiling, they realised that in the past it had been covered with a layer of varnish that had turned yellowish. They had to peel it off, quite literally, like cling film.”
Mosaics were partially restored in 1978, but this recent restoration had a much broader focus.
