Palazzo dei Normanni, Royal palace in Palermo, Italy
Palazzo dei Normanni is a multistory royal palace in Palermo standing on an elevated site in the city center and housing reception halls, exhibition rooms, and government chambers. The complex spreads across several levels with courtyards, chapels, and galleries connected by staircases and corridors.
Construction began after 1072 when rulers from Normandy took Sicily and established their seat here. King Roger II added the palace chapel in the following decades and expanded the building with additional halls and towers.
The name refers to the rulers who established their residence here after conquering Sicily and hired Arab craftsmen to decorate the interiors. Today the building houses the Sicilian regional parliament, while visitors walk through halls adorned with multicolored mosaics and carved wooden ceilings.
The palace opens Monday through Saturday from 8:15 AM to 5:45 PM and Sunday until 1:00 PM, with wheelchair access throughout the building. Visitors should allow time for the chapel and upper floors, as the rooms cover large areas and staircases connect the levels.
The Sala Cinese displays eighteenth-century paintings featuring figures in Chinese attire, an example of the European view of Far Eastern aesthetics at the time. The room belongs to the less visited parts of the palace and lies away from the main routes through the complex.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
