A day trip took us to Monreale on the slope of Mount Caputo about seven kilometres south of Palermo. It has an even more splendid cathedral than Cefalù. A mixture of Arab, Byzantine and Norman artistic styles framed by traditional Romanesque architecture combines in a blend of the best that the Christian and Muslim worlds of the 12th century had to offer. The cathedrals mosaics emblazon 6,340 square metres of the duomo's interior surface - far more extensive than those of the cathedral of Cefalù.

The young King William II's objective in building the cathedral was to impress on his subjects, especially the Muslims, the power and riches of his monarchy. He wanted to demonstrate to his subjects his notion that he ruled by divine right, thus the mosaic over the Royal throne shows Christ crowning William II and one over the Episcopal throne shows William II offering Monreale Cathedral to the blessed Virgin. Rarely in the West were living monarchs represented in a Heavenly setting in a public work of art.

William wanted to make the Roman Catholic Church the official Church of Sicily through the splendour of the cathedral. Work started in 1174 and most of the major work on Monreale Cathedral finished before William II's death at 36 in 1189. Externally the cathedral is not striking. The dazzling mosaics on a background of gold mosaic tiles in the interior of Monreale Cathedral are what make the church world-famous. These cover nearly all the surfaces of the cathedral's walls, excepting the ground level, up to a height of two metres, where the walls are white marble bordered with inlaid polychrome decorations. Their splendid and delicate beauty creates an atmosphere of tranquillity, solemnity and awe.

The interior of the church is about 100 metres long by 40 metres wide. There are 130 individual mosaic biblical scenes and other religious events. The Old Testament as portrayed on the walls of the central nave, starts from the Creation and ending with Jacob's Fight with the Angel. The mosaics on the side aisles show the major events of the life of Jesus, from His birth to the Crucifixion, and include a portrayals of the miracles worked by Christ.

The masterpiece is the domineeringly majestic Christ Pantocrator (All-Powerful) found on the central apse over the main altar. This is one of the world's largest displays of this art. The entire image is 13 metres across and seven metres high. Beneath the portrait of Jesus is a mosaic of the Virgin Mary enthroned with the Christ child on her lap. There are mosaics of various other saints and scenes from the Gospels all about the transept area.

To reach Monreale, which is on the edge of the city of Palermo, take the number 389 bus from Piazza Indipendenza in Palermo. The bus takes about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic, to arrive at Monreale cathedral – be warned, keep a tight grip on valuables on route!

These are not the only mosaics to be sure of seeing. The Cappela Palatina at the Palazzo dei Normanni contains some outstanding work. To appreciate it fully, try to see it before the cathedral at Monreale, after which almost anything is an anticlimax. The others of this type in Palermo are to be found in the church of La Mortorana and they also are outstanding.

Before leaving mosaics I mention the cathedral at Cefalù which was being repaired when I was there. Apparently these Byzantine mosaics are nearly fifty years older than the ones at Monreale, about the same standard but fewer of them. Cefalù itself seems remarkably little damaged by having become a fairly major tourist resort - perhaps partly because it was February.

Back in Palermo there are yet more mosaics worth seeing though of a completely different age, Roman ones on the second floor of the Museo Archeologico Regionale. I was most taken with the 3rd century one showing Orpheus with his lyre, surrounded by animals.