New LED lighting enhances Monreale Cathedral's mosaics

Monreale Cathedral near Palermo, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2015, has unveiled a new lighting system designed to enhance its vast mosaic cycle. The project, led by Austrian company Zumbotel, replaces halogen lamps with energy-efficient LED fixtures that improve color rendering without damaging the historic fabric. The mosaics, covering 6,340 square meters, make the cathedral the second largest mosaic-decorated church globally after Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Commissioned by King William II of Sicily and completed in 1172, the mosaics depict biblical scenes from Creation to the Ascension, executed between 1177 and 1183 by Byzantine and local craftsmen. The new lighting, developed over 18 months, is non-invasive and reversible, with adjustable intensity for liturgical and tourist needs. It corrects previous distortions that exaggerated yellow and gold tones while suppressing blues and reds. The intervention is part of a broader restoration that included consolidation and cleaning of the tesserae. The cathedral, dedicated to Santa Maria Nuova, sits on Monte Caputo overlooking Palermo.