Monreale     Sicily
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Belmonte Mezzagno
Cloister at Monreale Cathedral
Close to Palermo is the hill town of Monreale. The interior of the Norman ediface of Monreale Cathedral is entirely embellished with Greek and Roman Mosaics.They contain scenes, on a bright gold background from the Old and New Testaments and from the lives of the saints. The Romanesque cloister I have illustrated, is next to the Duomo and what remains of a Benedictine monastery. The formal garden is surrounded by 216 twin columns supporting arches of Arabic  influence. No two capitals' carvings are the same. They depict birds, flowers snakes foliage, hunters and winged beasts.

If you visited Monreale you may have met the man above with his cart and pony near the Cathedral. Today carts and wagons are only seen during festivals and for the tourists of Sicily.
The carts are decorated with paintings of Sicilian folklore- the battles between the Christians and the Saracens. The serialized stories of the Norman rulers of Sicily and the knights, Orlando and  Rinaldo, are also used for the puppet shows performed in Palermo.
The Sicilian "Carredda"
"Carredda Solo"
"Monreale Boy and Cart"   NEW Print available