Church of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio

Church of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio tickets: which one to buy

The Martorana stands on Piazza Bellini in the historic centre of Palermo, beside the little red-domed church of San Cataldo and facing Santa Caterina, and a small admission is charged. It is one of the essential sights of Palermo and part of the UNESCO listing of Arab-Norman Palermo, together with the Palatine Chapel and the cathedrals of Monreale and Cefalu. Walking tours of the old town always include it, usually with the Quattro Canti crossroads and the Pretoria fountain next door.

San Cataldo has a separate small ticket, and the two are best seen together. The church is used for the Byzantine rite of the Italo-Albanian Catholic community, and visiting pauses during their Sunday liturgy. Arriving early in the morning avoids tour groups. Photography without flash is allowed. San Cataldo next door is small and simple, with bare stone walls and three red domes, and takes only a few minutes. Shoulders and knees must be covered, and shawls are not always available at the door.

Visiting Church of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio: what to see

The church was founded in 1143 by George of Antioch, a Greek Christian admiral in the service of the Norman king Roger II, which explains its official name, Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio. Its nickname comes from a convent founded nearby by Eloisa Martorana, which later took it over. The original Norman church, a Greek-cross plan under a small dome, is covered with Byzantine mosaics of the twelfth century on a gold ground: Christ enthroned with angels in the dome, and, near the entrance, two famous panels, one showing Roger II being crowned by Christ, the other showing George of Antioch at the feet of the Virgin.

Later centuries added a baroque nave and facade, and a Norman bell tower with arched openings stands at the entrance. The nuns of the Martorana convent were famous for their marzipan fruits, still called frutta martorana. Mosaics in the side vaults show the Annunciation, the Nativity and the Dormition of the Virgin, among the finest Byzantine images anywhere in Italy.

Church of Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio opening hours and the best time to go

The church is open daily with a break at midday and shorter hours on Sundays because of the liturgy. Morning is the best time to see the mosaics lit by daylight. Palermo is hot in summer, and spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons. The feast of Santa Rosalia in mid-July fills the city with processions. Around All Souls' Day at the beginning of November, the pastry shops fill with marzipan fruits named after the convent.

Piazza Bellini is lively in the evening. Allow about twenty minutes for the Martorana and another ten for San Cataldo, and continue to the Palatine Chapel, about fifteen minutes' walk away. The Pretoria fountain beside the square, surrounded by marble statues, is floodlit at night and makes a dramatic sight. A combined ticket for several churches of Arab-Norman Palermo is sold at the major sites and saves money if you plan to see four or more.