Become a member and save up to 33% on your program registration price! Join today If you are already a member, log in to access your member price. Palatine Chapel Lesser-Known Museums and Churches of Italy Evening Lecture/Seminar Monday, December 7, 2026 - 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET Code: 1J0593 Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Earn ½ elective credit toward your World Art History certificate Registration Options $30 Member $45 Gen. Admission Log in to register for this program or to add it to your wishlist! Log in Resize text Mosaic in the Palatine Chapel (José Luiz Bernardes Ribeiro / CC BY-SA 4.0) In the heart of Palermo, within the historic complex of the Palazzo dei Normanni, the Palatine Chapel stands as one of the most extraordinary monuments of medieval Europe. Commissioned in the 12th century by Roger II of Sicily, it represents a unique fusion of Norman, Byzantine, Islamic, and Latin artistic traditions, reflecting the multicultural character of Norman Sicily at its height. Today the chapel is studied not only as a sacred space but also as a testament to the political vision of the Norman rulers who used art and architecture to unify different peoples under their rule. Italian Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero highlights the chapel’s interior, where shimmering Byzantine mosaics depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments cover the upper walls, set against richly carved wooden ceilings executed in the intricate muqarnas style of Islamic art. The result is a space in which different artistic languages coexist harmoniously. Additional Lesser-Known Museums and Churches of Italy Programs August 26: Pinacoteca Ambrosiana September 14: Pinacoteca Nazionale di Siena October 26: Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna November 16: Palazzo Barberini General Information View Common FAQs and Policies about our Online Programs on Zoom.
