Palazzo dei Normanni

This palace on the highest ground of old Palermo has been a seat of power since antiquity, when a fortress guarded the site, and it later became the residence of the Norman kings of Sicily. Successive rulers and the modern regional assembly have added to and altered it over the centuries. Beyond the celebrated royal chapel it contains richly decorated apartments, including a hall with rare secular mosaics of hunting scenes and stylised animals. Gardens and courtyards surround the building, and guided routes lead through its layered history.