Sky Arte HD launches new season of 'Sette Meraviglie' focusing on Palermo's Arab-Norman heritage

Sky Arte HD has launched a new season of 'Sette Meraviglie', a series exploring seven UNESCO-protected Italian sites using modern filming techniques and historical illustrations. The first episode, airing Monday 3 April, is titled 'Palermo, tra Arabi e Normanni' and highlights Palermo's Arab-Norman art. The Palatine Chapel, conceived by King Roger II, who admired Muslim craftsmanship and sought to rival the Byzantine Empire, is located on the first floor of the Palazzo dei Normanni, exemplifying the fusion of Norman and Arab styles. Other Norman rulers built spectacular palaces like the Cuba and the Zisa. Palermo Cathedral and Monreale Cathedral, with interiors covered in mosaics, are key examples of Arab-Norman art.