Global Treasures: Monreale

Television Director: Ullman, Frank

Producer: Scarson, Peter O.

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Catalogue Number: GTR-DVD-1155

UPC: 879061007545

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Global Treasures - History's Most Protected Monuments - Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa's Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world's heritage. Join us as we explore one of these protected monuments.

In the mountain area close to Palermo is the picturesque town of Monreale, a townscape that for more than 800 years has been dominated by a single building. Monreale Cathedral was built due to a struggle for power between the Bishop of Palermo and the Norman king William II.

Architecturally, the cathedral possesses a wonderful harmony of styles, including Norman, Romanic and Arabian. With the building of the cathedral and the elevation of the city to an archiepiscopal, William II had created a worthy competitor to Palermo Cathedral.

The Norman cathedral and its adjacent cloister are two historical jewels that give a special significance to the small town of Monreale, and the buildings proudly overlook their former rivals in the Sicilian metropolis of Palermo.