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Palermo Cathedral

The Arab-Norman cathedral where Frederick II and other medieval rulers rest in porphyry tombs.

  • Palermo
  • Church
Plan your visitSee tours
Where
Palermo
Best for
Arab-Norman architecture
Allow
1 hr 30 min
Tickets
From €12
Checked September 2026

Palermo's cathedral compresses eight centuries of Sicilian rule into one building. Archbishop Walter of the Mill began it in 1185 on the site of a mosque, and later builders added a Catalan Gothic porch and columns recycled from the mosque, still carved with Arabic inscriptions, before Ferdinando Fuga capped it with a Neoclassical dome in the 1780s that never quite matches the rest.

Four royal sarcophagi in red porphyry hold Roger II, Henry VI, Constance of Aragon, and Frederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor who called Palermo home. Climb the rooftop walkway among the domes and you cross eight centuries of masonry at eye level, with the city's rooftops spread out below and Monte Pellegrino on the horizon.

Sources and citations (2)
  1. Cattedrale di PalermoCattedrale di Palermo, la cronistoriaChronology, 604 dedication and 1185 new Cathedral passagesRead source
  2. UNESCO World Heritage CentreArab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalú and MonrealeProperty description and component contextRead source

Five things worth finding

If you see nothing else, see these.

  1. The royal tombsNorman and Swabian rulers, porphyry and marble

    Roger II, Henry VI, Constance of Aragon and Frederick II rest here; the cathedral is, in effect, a Norman-Swabian mausoleum.Right aisle and chapels

  2. The Crown of Constance of Aragon

    A gold tiara found in Constance’s tomb in 1491; it is the treasure that makes the visit feel royal.Cathedral Treasury

  3. The Arabic-inscribed columnFrom the earlier mosque

    A verse from the Qur’an is carved on it, a leftover from the mosque that stood here before the cathedral.South porch, first column on the left

  4. The Chapel of Saint Rosalia17th-century silver urn, bronze gate

    The relics of Palermo’s patron saint, in a silver urn behind a richly worked bronze gate.Presbytery, right side

  5. The rooftop walkwayMedieval and later builders

    You cross the domes and towers at eye level; the view takes in the old rooftops and Monte Pellegrino.Above the nave

Plan your visit

Everything you need before you go.

Tickets
From €12
Booking
No booking needed
Time needed
1 hr 30 min
Best time
Weekday mornings right at opening, before tour groups reach the rooftop
Getting there
The cathedral sits on Corso Vittorio Emanuele in the historic center, a short walk from the Quattro Canti; Palermo Centrale station is a longer walk, and several city buses stop nearby.
Accessibility
The nave and prayer area are step-free. The Monumental Area is reached partly by narrow stairways and is not recommended for wheelchair users or visitors with mobility limitations; no dedicated wheelchair route was found.

Praying in the nave is free. The full Monumental Area (roofs, royal tombs, crypt, treasury) costs €12 (reduced €6 for ages 11 to 17, €10 for over 65); a roofs-and-tombs-only ticket is €7. Shoulders and knees must be covered throughout. Visits to the roof are discouraged for anyone with heart conditions, vertigo, or claustrophobia, and access can pause around Mass times. Last updated September 2026. Prices change, so check the official site before you go.

Buy the Monumental Area ticket that includes the roof: the walkway between the domes gives one of the best rooftop views in Palermo, better than the postcard shot from the street.

See toursOfficial website
Get directionsGoogle MapsApple Maps

Tours worth booking

A few we would book ourselves, to get more from your visit.

Booking through these links may earn Italia Magnifica a commission, at no cost to you.

  1. Guided tour of the historic center Palermo

    • Viator
    • 3h 30m
    • 5.0★ · 43 reviews
    from €35Book this tour

  2. Palermo: Private Night Tour in CruiserCar

    • Viator
    • 3h
    • 5.0★ · 7 reviews
    from €149Book this tour

  3. Market tour and Private Cooking Class

    • Viator
    • 4h
    • 5.0★ · 5 reviews
    from €420Book this tour

  4. Fiat 500 Vintage Palermo center - Monreale cathedral

    • Viator
    • 3h
    • 5.0★ · 2 reviews
    from €380Book this tour

  5. Discover Palermo in 3 hours. Art, history, markets and street food

    • Viator
    • 3h
    • 5.0★ · 356 reviews
    from €30Book this tour

  6. Private Palermo Photo & History Tour with Local Photographer

    • Viator
    • 2h
    • 5.0★ · 19 reviews
    from €99Book this tour

Good to know

How long should you spend at Palermo Cathedral?

Plan about 90 minutes if you want the royal tombs, the Treasury and the rooftop. The church alone takes about half an hour.

Is the rooftop worth the extra ticket?

Yes, if you like views and architecture. You walk among the domes and towers, and you see how Norman, Gothic and Baroque layers stack up; go early, since it is exposed to the sun.

Can you see the cathedral and the Palatine Chapel together?

Yes. They are a short walk apart on the same historic axis, so you can do both in a morning, then continue to Monreale in the afternoon.

More to see nearby

Same city first, then the nearest across the region.

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