Palermo - Cattedrale di Palermo

Sicily, the largest Mediterranean island, has a long history, that starts around 8000 BC, but later there were Phoenician, Carthaginian, Greek and Roman periods. After the Roman Empire had fallen apart the Vandals tried to take over the island but failed. Finally, the Ostrogoths took possession.

Mid of the 6th century Sicily was conquered by troops of the Byzantine Empire. After the advent of Islam, Sicily got attacked by the Arab forces. Raids seeking loot continued until the mid-8th century.

A Muslim army was sent to the island in 827 but met with much resistance. So it took a century to conquer it and even later revolts constantly occurred

In 1038 the Byzantines invaded the island supported by Norman mercenaries, led by Roger. In 1072, after the siege of Palermo, most of Sicily was under Norman control. Roger´s son Roger II raised the status of the island to a kingdom in 1130. During this period, the Kingdom of Sicily was prosperous and powerful,

The court of Roger II became melting out of culture from Europe and the Middle East. This attracted scholars, scientists, artists, and artisans. Muslims, Jews, Greeks, Lombards, and Normans cooperated and created some extraordinary buildings.

In 1186 the last descendant of Roger, Constance of Sicily married Emperor Henry VI, the second son of Barbarossa. So the crown of Sicily was passed on to the Hohenstaufen Dynasty. Frederick II, the only son of Constance, was crowned King of Sicily at the age of four in 1198. He became "Stupor Mundi", one of the greatest and most cultured men of the Middle Ages.

Palermo, founded in 734 BC by the Phoenicians, became a possession of Carthage and later was part of the Roman Empire. From 831 to 1072 the city was under Arab rule. Following the Norman conquest, Palermo became the capital of a new Kingdom of Sicily and the capital of the Holy Roman Empire under Emperor Frederick II and King Conrad IV.

Today Palermo is a bustling city with a population of about 700.000 plus - many many tourists.

Where the Palermo Cathedral ist now, was a Byzantine basilica, probably founded by Pope Gregory I, in the 6th century. After their conquest of the city in the 9th century, the Saracens converted this building into the "Grand Mosque". When the Normans under Roger I took over Palermo the mosque became again a cathedral and the seat of the archbishop.

After an earthquake had severely damaged the old building, it was decided to demolish and rebuild it. The new cathedral was erected from 1184 on. In the 14th to 16th centuries, the building underwent continuous expansions and Gothic remodelling. A rebuilding process from 1781 to 1801 changed the cathedral fundamentally. A classical dome above the crossing was erected. So today the cathedral is a 3D-puzzle of bits and pieces of different times and different styles.

Since the 19th century renovation, the monumental tombs of kings and emperors, moved to a chapel in the west of the cathedral.

Here is the sarcophagus of Frederick II. Created from porphyry, supported by four lions holding human figures in their paws and topped by a monumental baldachin with six red marble columns.

Frederick II, who died in 1250, was "stupor mundi" but still is a very disputed emperor. When he died very sudden in Lucera, rumours arose, that Papal spies may have poisened him. The body got embalmed (probably in Salerno) and buried here a year later.

The tomb was opened a couple of times over the centuries. The last time in 1998, when a high tech "cleanroom" had been built around the sarcophag. The body of Frederick II was still embalmed and dressed , but there were two skeletons as well. It came out, that one was from an unknown woman, the other is the skelton of Peter II of Sicily, who obviously was killed by an axe.

It was known, that during the renovation the tomb had been opened for a longer period and some precious items had been stolen at that time. The scientist proved, that Frederick II did not die from poison, but probably from dysentery.