'It's pure beauty' - Italy's largest medieval mosaics restored

On a elevation overlooking the metropolis of Palermo, successful Sicily, sits a lesser-known gem of Italian art: the cathedral of Monreale.

Built successful the 12th period nether Norman rule, it boasts Italy's largest Byzantine-style mosaics, 2nd successful the satellite lone to those of Hagia Sophia successful Istanbul.

Now, this Unesco World Heritage tract has undergone an extended restoration to bring it backmost to its erstwhile glory.

The Monreale mosaics were meant to impress, humble and animate the visitant who walked down the cardinal nave, pursuing the manner of Constantinople, the superior of the surviving Roman empire successful the east.

They span implicit 6,400 quadrate meters and incorporate astir 2.2kg of coagulated gold.

The restoration lasted implicit a year, and successful that clip the cathedral was turned into a spot of a gathering site, with a maze of scaffolds acceptable up connected the altar and transept.

Local experts from the Italian Ministry of Culture led a bid of interventions, starting with the removal of a heavy furniture of particulate that had accumulated connected the mosaics implicit the years.

Then they repaired immoderate of the tiles that had mislaid their enamel and golden leaf, making them look similar achromatic spots from down below.

Finally, they intervened successful the areas wherever the tiles were peeling disconnected the partition and secured them.

Working connected the mosaics was a situation and a large responsibility, says Father Nicola Gaglio.

He has been a clergyman present for 17 years and has followed the restoration closely, not dissimilar an apprehensive dad.

"The squad approached this enactment astir connected their tiptoes," helium tells me.

"At times, determination were immoderate unforeseen issues and they had to intermission the operations portion they recovered a solution.

"For example, erstwhile they got to the ceiling, they realised that successful the past it had been covered with a furniture of varnish that had turned yellowish. They had to peel it off, rather literally, similar cling film."

The mosaics were past partially restored successful 1978 , but this clip the involution had a overmuch wider scope and it included replacing the aged lighting system.

"There was a precise aged system. The airy was low, the vigor costs were done the extortion and successful nary mode it made justness to the quality of the mosaics," says Matteo Cundari.

He's the Country Manager of Zumtobel, the steadfast that was tasked with installing the caller lights.

"The main situation was to marque definite we'd item the mosaics and we'd make thing that answers to the assorted needs of the cathedral," helium adds.

"We besides wanted to make a wholly reversible system, thing that could beryllium replaced successful 10 oregon 15 years without damaging the building."

This archetypal tranche of works outgo 1.1 cardinal euros. A 2nd one, focussing connected the cardinal nave, is being planned next.

I inquire Fr Gaglio what it was similar to spot the scaffolding yet travel disconnected and the mosaics radiance successful their caller light. He laughs and shrugs.

"When you spot it, you're overwhelmed with awe and you can't truly deliberation of anything. It's axenic beauty," helium says.

"It's a work to beryllium the keeper of specified satellite heritage. This satellite needs beauty, due to the fact that it reminds america of what's bully successful humanity, of what it means to beryllium men and women."