Cubula

Cubula is an Arab-Norman pavilion in Palermo with a square floor plan and pointed arches on each of its four sides, crowned by a red hemispherical dome. The walls feature decorative stone bands that show the craftsmanship of medieval builders.

The pavilion was built around 1184 by Fatimid architects as part of Genoardo, a sprawling royal park created during the reign of William II of Sicily. This period marked a peak of Norman rule and the architectural development that would shape Sicily for centuries.

The structure brings together Arab and Norman design languages, showing how different building traditions came together in medieval Sicily. You can see this blend in how the dome meets the arches and in the decorative details throughout the structure.

This pavilion sits outside the main city center and is best reached by public transportation. Plan time to explore the surrounding area, as the park setting gives context to what you are seeing at the structure itself.

The structure originally stood in the middle of an artificial lake that connected to another royal building called Cuba Soprana, serving only the king and his court. Today you stand where water once surrounded the pavilion completely, giving it a very different character than it has now.