On a hill overlooking Palermo in Sicily, the Cathedral of Monreale stands as one of the lesser-known treasures of Italian art. Built in the 12th century under Norman rule, it houses the largest collection of Byzantine-style mosaics in Italy, second only in the world to those of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

Now, after extensive restoration work, this monumental UNESCO World Heritage site has regained its former glory.

The mosaics of Monreale, covering an impressive area of 6,400 square meters and containing 2.2 kilograms of pure gold, were designed to inspire awe and impress visitors. Following the Byzantine tradition of Constantinople, they leave anyone walking through the central church of Sicily’s capital in awe.

The recent restoration, which lasted over a year, was carried out by specialists from Italy’s Ministry of Culture. The project turned the cathedral into a dynamic construction site, with scaffolding covering the sanctuary and the transept. The work included removing decades of accumulated dust from the mosaics, repairing tiles that had lost their enamel and gold coating, and stabilizing areas where tiles had detached from the walls.

Father Nicola Gallio, the cathedral’s priest for 17 years, closely followed the restoration, describing his anxiety as that of a worried father. “The team approached the project with complete respect and attention,” he told the BBC. They faced unforeseen issues, such as a layer of varnish on the ceiling that had yellowed over time and had to be carefully removed, as if peeling off a membrane.

Part of the restoration also included upgrading the old lighting system, which was inefficient and energy-consuming. Matteo Kundari, head of the Zumtobel company responsible for the lighting, emphasized that the goal was to highlight the mosaics in an energy-efficient way while maintaining the reversibility of the system for future interventions.

The first phase of the work cost 1.1 million euros, and a second phase is already planned, focusing on the central church.

When the scaffolding was finally removed, Father Gallio described the moment as overwhelming. “When you see it, you feel awe. You can’t think of anything else. It’s pure beauty,” he says. He also mentioned the importance of preserving this cultural treasure: “This world needs beauty because it reminds us of the good in humanity and what it means to be human.”