Condition and Role of the Norman Cathedrals in the Fourteenth Century: Maintenance, Restoration and Renovation

Abstract

After conquering Sicily between 1061 and 1091, the Normans built new cathedrals that modified not only religious life, but also architecture and urban layout. Dramatic events, like wars, earthquakes, and fires, clumsy restorations and culpable inaccuracy have profoundly altered the appearance of Norman cathedrals. The aim of this paper is to analyse the state of conservation of the Cathedrals of Palermo, Monreale, Messina and Agrigento in the fourteenth century, when Sicily was profoundly affected by the war between the Angevins and the Aragonese that lasted ninety years and impoverished the island. The analysis of four case studies from the past will allow us to outline new perspectives for the future conservation policy of the Norman cathedrals.