Monreale

Monreale
Comune
Comune di Monreale
Interior of Monreale Cathedral.
Monreale Location of Monreale in Italy
Coordinates: 38°04′54″N 13°17′20″E / 38.08167°N 13.28889°E / 38.08167; 13.28889
Country	Italy
Region	Sicily
Province / Metropolitan city	Palermo (PA)
Frazioni	Aquino, Borgo Fraccia, Borgo Schirò, Cicio di Monreale, Giacalone, Grisì, Monte Caputo, Pietra, Pioppo, Poggio San Francesco, San Martino delle Scale, Sirignano, Sparacia, Tagliavia, Villaciambra
Government
• Mayor	Filippo Di Matteo
Area
• Total	529 km2 (204 sq mi)
Elevation	310 m (1,020 ft)
Population (31 December 2010)
• Total	38,204
• Density	72/km2 (190/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Monrealesi
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	90046
Dialing code	091
Patron saint	St. Castrensis
Saint day	2 February
Website	Official website

Monreale (Sicilian: Murriali) is a town and comune in the province of Palermo, in Sicily, Italy. It sits on the slope of Monte Caputo, overlooking the very fertile valley called "La Conca d'oro" (the Golden Shell), famed for its orange, olive and almond trees, the produce of which is exported in large quantities. The town, which has a population of approximately 30,000, is about 15 kilometres (9 miles) inland (south) of Palermo, the capital of the island. Monreale forms its own archdiocese and is renowned for its Norman-Byzantine cathedral which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of a group of nine inscribed as Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale.

After the occupation of Palermo by the Arabs (the Emirate of Sicily), the Bishop of Palermo was forced to move his seat outside the capital. The role of the new cathedral was assigned to a modest little church, Aghia Kiriaki, in a nearby village later known as Monreale. After the Norman conquest in 1072, Christians got back the old city cathedral. Probably the village's role as temporary ecclesiastical centre played a part in King William II's decision to build his famous cathedral.

Monreale was for a long time a mere village, and started its expansion when the Norman Kings of Sicily chose the area as their hunting resort, building here a palace (probably identifiable with the modern town hall).

Under King William II, the large monastery of Benedictines coming from Cava de' Tirreni, with its church, was founded and provided with large assets. It is noteworthy that the new construction had also an important defensive function. Monreale was the seat of the metropolitan archbishop of Sicily, which from then on exerted a significant influence over Sicily.