William’s Brain

Monreale Cathedral— more formally Cattedrale di Santa Maria Nuova di Monreale; Duomo di Monreale— is a look into the mind of King William the Good, who built the place. I can see why a life of war and conquest didn’t suit him. This colossal building is a fantasia, a kind of theme park tour of William’s brain.

Supposedly, while on a hunting trip, William II fell asleep under a carob tree, and had a dream in which the Virgin suggested he build a church on the site. Knowing that sugge...