CACCAMO | CASTELLO DI CACCAMO | SICILIA | 07/09/2024 MAVIC AIR 3 CINE - AVATA DRONE FOOTAGE

Cefalù, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, is one of the most evocative destinations on the island. It is located on the northern coast of Sicily, in a strategic position, to say the least: about an hour from Palermo and Capo d’Orlando, on the A20 road.

For the Greeks, it was Kephaloidion, “head” or “headland” (most likely referring to its promontory), and the Romans knew it as Coephaledium. The Arabs called it Gafludi, “fortified city with abundant waters”.

The town is dominated by a monumental rock rising to a height of 270 metres, already known to the Phoenicians as the promontory of Hercules, on which stands the Temple of Diana, a megalithic building linked to the cult of water, as indicated by the nearby cistern dating from the 9th century BC.
The historic quarter lies in the shadow of this bastion and clusters around its beating heart, which is undoubtedly the Duomo, a gigantic cathedral commissioned by Ruggero II The Norman.

According to legend, the cathedral was built in this city and not in Palermo, the capital of the kingdom, following a vow made to the Holy Saviour by Roger himself, who had escaped a storm and landed on the town’s beaches. It is more likely to have been built for political and military reasons, given the connotations of the area and the undeniable peculiarities of a natural fortress and the outsized proportions of the Basilica, all amplified by the ancient megalithic walls of which evidence remains along the Giudecca cliffs (Postierla) and at the ancient Porta Terra (today’s Piazza Garibaldi).
Although it may seem strange, this symbol of the power of a Norman sovereign was inspired by the skills and mastery of Islamic craftsmen and architects. The design scheme is the same as that of other masterpieces in Palermo, inspired by the magnificence of the Zirite and Hammadite palace-fortresses typical of Maghreb architecture. It is a daunting structure, compact in the block with two towers yet luminous due to the gold of the walls and the reflections of the mosaics. Inside, the imposing colonnade marks the rhythm of the room and leads the eye to the benevolent gaze of the Christ Pantocrator, a marvellous Byzantine mosaic on a gold background with Greek and Latin inscriptions. The wooden cross suspended in the central apse is attributed to Guglielmo da Pesaro. Also noteworthy are the cloister attached to the cathedral, decorated with sculpted columns and capitals, and the Romanesque baptismal font.

There is also much to admire in medieval Cefalù. The Palazzo Maria in Piazza Duomo and the 13th-century Osterio Magno in Corso Ruggero, owned by the conti Ventimiglia, have two beautiful 13th-century mullioned windows and a 14th-century triple lancet window.

The medieval washhouse, entirely dug into the rock and in daily use until not long ago, can be reached via a suggestive lava stone staircase known as “a lumachella“.
Duomo di Cefalù
Cristo Pantocratore Cefalù - ph. P. Barone
Lavatoio Cefalù - ph. P. Barone

The historic quarter lies in the shadow of this bastion and clusters around its beating heart, which is undoubtedly the Duomo, a gigantic cathedral commissioned by Ruggero II The Norman.

According to legend, the cathedral was built in this city and not in Palermo, the capital of the kingdom, following a vow made to the Holy Saviour by Roger himself, who had escaped a storm and landed on the town’s beaches. It is more likely to have been built for political and military reasons, given the connotations of the area and the undeniable peculiarities of a natural fortress and the outsized proportions of the Basilica, all amplified by the ancient megalithic walls of which evidence remains along the Giudecca cliffs (Postierla) and at the ancient Porta Terra (today’s Piazza Garibaldi).

Although it may seem strange, this symbol of the power of a Norman sovereign was inspired by the skills and mastery of Islamic craftsmen and architects. The design scheme is the same as that of other masterpieces in Palermo, inspired by the magnificence of the Zirite and Hammadite palace-fortresses typical of Maghreb architecture. It is a daunting structure, compact in the block with two towers yet luminous due to the gold of the walls and the reflections of the mosaics. Inside, the imposing colonnade marks the rhythm of the room and leads the eye to the benevolent gaze of the Christ Pantocrator, a marvellous Byzantine mosaic on a gold background with Greek and Latin inscriptions. The wooden cross suspended in the central apse is attributed to Guglielmo da Pesaro. Also noteworthy are the cloister attached to the cathedral, decorated with sculpted columns and capitals, and the Romanesque baptismal font.
There is also much to admire in medieval Cefalù. The Palazzo Maria in Piazza Duomo and the 13th-century Osterio Magno in Corso Ruggero.

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