Cattedrale di Palermo
Cattedrale di Palermo
4.5
Points of Interest & LandmarksChurches & Cathedrals
About
This cathedral was started in 1185 by the norman archbishop Gualtiero Offamilio. You can visit the Royal and Imperial tomb of Frederik the II, the urn with the relics of the patron Saint of Palermo Santa Rosalia, plus a treasury with a precious medieval crown and a crypt from the VII century. The church is free to enter, there is a ticket to access the monumental area composed by royal tombs, treasury, crypt and the roof.
Duration: < 1 hour
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Plan your visit
The area
Address
Reach out directly
See what travelers are saying
  • Periscope
    Lindesnes Municipality, Norway6,844 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Must visit
    Dont ever leave Palermo without visiting the Cattedrale. Spend the extra euros and effort to visit the roof. The view are incredible. You may enter the Cattedrale without paying any entry, but that leaves you with the church-room.
    Visited March 2023
    Written March 19, 2023
  • Outofdodge_10
    Santa Fe, New Mexico1,351 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful Cathedral Built in 1185. UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    The Cattedrale di Palermo (Cathedral of Palermo), as many buildings and sites in Sicily has had many incarnations. It was a Byzantine (eastern half of the Roman Empire - Constantinople, now Istanbul) basilica that was transformed into a mosque in the 9th century by the Saracens Then into a church in 1185. A Gothic portal was added in later centuries, as well as other additions. All of the contributions make this Cattedrale an exceptionally beautiful building. As always, I recommend looking up the rich history before visiting. There is a small, but beautiful square in which to meander.
    Visited October 2022
    Written March 23, 2023
  • Timothy M
    Eureka, Missouri249 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Heavenly Church
    This is an architectural wonder built on a site where Christians worshiped since the 3rd and 4th centuries. This building dates to the12th century.It has been added to and changed several times over the centuries. See the altar made of silver and you can go up to the roof and get a view of it's Polermo surroundings.
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 19, 2023
  • Joanne
    Lake Mary, Florida1,781 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    a need to see
    You can pick various places to visit inside, but its worth it to buy the all-inclusive for about 15E and visit everything. The first highlight is the roof. You have to walk up a narrow round turret like in a castle - it not for anyone with mobility problems. The view of Palermo is awesome and worth taking a lot of pictures. You have to wait for one group to come down before the guide lets another group up. Inside, there is a very small crypt that is not worth much (you can enter it as you come down from the roof). The main crypt is awesome - first you enter a treasure room with valuable items. Then down to the crypt with lots of caskets that are hundreds and thousands of years old. Some signs in English, but mostly Italian.
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written May 4, 2023
  • Kay S
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Palermo Resolved
    I wanted to commend Trip Advisor for refunding my money for the walking tour that did not happen. When I complained n explained the no show guide experience, they promised me my full price of the tour would be refunded. My good experience with Trip Advisor/Viatour continues
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 6, 2023
  • Leif B
    Pietarsaari, Finland2,795 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    An impressive cathedral.
    I was on a guided tour in Palermo and then I visited this impressive cathedral and I had also opportunity to visit the Royal Tombs of Roger II and his daughter Catherine. Impressive tomb of an important ruler of Sicilia. Outside the cathedral is very special with the arcades to the Archbishops' Palace.
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written May 23, 2023
  • irina j
    London, United Kingdom1,999 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Grand building
    Main cathedral of Palermo and if you are in the area definitely worth a visit. Entrance is free, extra payment for roof visits and treasury . Unfortunately we didn’t have time to visit. Very serene and quiet inside. It was great to pose and stop after being hot and busy.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written June 30, 2023
  • Fairycakes
    69 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Go to the roof!
    The cathedral from the outside is very beautiful, albeit with the dome in scaffolding. Inside isn't particularly amazing but worth a very quick walk around. We got the €7 ticket to the roof, this was totally worth it and the best part of our visit. You enter behind a hidden passage which is quite exciting and the views and spectacular!! Kids were free. Remember a shawl if your shoulders aren't covered for entrance to the church as they charge €1 for a modesty covering on the way in.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written August 21, 2023
  • Jacqui S
    Bari, Italy19 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Breathtaking architecture!
    Absolutely stunning views of the city from the top of the walkways. The inside was also breath-taking: so much marble, so ornate. Mass was about to start while we were inside so they turned up the lights and it was wonderful. A word of caution to foreign visitors: make sure you are appropriately dressed and not half naked or you might be denied entry. They do, however, sell little shawls for a modest price that you cqan use to cover up. It's definitely worth visiting.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written August 22, 2023
  • Matthew
    Lincoln, United Kingdom10 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful building and good visit
    Inspiration for Tower Bridge in London. This is a great cathedral in a mix of styles. As a visitor here from England, it is very striking to me how much the corner towers resemble Tower Bridge in London - think the architect of Tower Bridge has taken inspiration from this beautiful cathedral
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 24, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles8,499 reviews
Excellent
4,967
Very good
2,708
Average
706
Poor
75
Terrible
43

Paul Legate
United Kingdom20,389 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
Palermo Cathedral is an immense structure situated in the Centro Storico area of the city, I was amazed by the sheer scale of the building when I first saw it. The cathedral was created in 1185 by Walter Ophamil who was the Anglo-Norman archbishop of Palermo at the time. There is a mixture of architectural styles with additions and extensions that were added after the original building was completed. I visited shortly after the Covid-19 restrictions were relaxed, it was very quiet when I was there in July 2020 but most of the attractions within the cathedral were accessible. I spent a while inside the cathedral which was truly stunning and wished I had the time to stay longer. It is a place that must be explored whilst in Palermo.
Written November 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Donald K
Edmonton, Canada1,212 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
The main portions in the church were very busy but the bishop's quarters in the attached building was full of artworks and pieces of interest and had very few visitors. The walkway seemed a bit touristy in that the line and wait for your turn to climb the stairwell took longer than the actual viewing on top.
Might as well pay for the complete package since it is hard to guess what you will like the most. Although another option is to view what is free, which is also a fair bit.
Written October 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

OLenany
Brooklyn, NY580 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2022 • Family
The history of Sicily is so complicated. It’s been under different rulers and religion.
This Cathedral is absolutely amazing, beautiful. It’s definitely worth it to take a ticket that includes all the attractions, including the roof, where you can see a panoramic view of the city. Just keep in mind that the stairs to the roof are very narrow ,
The adjacent building is the one where the bishops live. Totally worth visiting
Written September 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ryszard L
Sydney, Australia330 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2019
This is a stunning mixture of styles. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it was started in 1184 AD ( the architect, William Ophamil is entombed in the crypt) and is a mixture of Norman, early Gothic, a touch of Baroque, Catalan and Islamic. To top it off, the dome is 18th century! The Treasury is well worth a visit and the tombs of Sicily's kings are here. Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen is here along with his wife, Constance of Aragon, whose Imperial Diadem is on display in the Treasury. The chapel of Santa Rosalia has a rich ornamental bronze gate and contains many relics. The lapis lazuli in the Sacrament chapel is quite stunning as is the silver altarpiece. The cathedral also boasts a meridian, an early type of heliometer which is well worth seeing.
Written April 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

chrissy
Adelaide, Australia111 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Couples
Roman Catholic Church in Palermo, Sicily. It comprises of different styles due to the ‘add ons’ during its history. UNESCO historical site. Beautiful inside. We paid 7 Euros each to got onto the roof and see the burial tombs. The climb to the roof was easy, not that many steps but in the obviously small, spiral staircase. There is no entrance onto the roof in the rain. They allow a certain amount of people into the roof each time , let them down and the next go up. It was worthwhile. Entrance into the Cathedral itself was free.
Written September 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Josh Formentera
Copenhagen, Denmark596 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
A great example of Arab-Norman Palermo architecture style. The church is very beautiful both inside and outside an amazing religious architecture. A very classic art of work that I admired very much specially the Islamic style geometric composition of 12 roundels that show fruit, humans all kind of animals. The Cosmati geometric mosaics floor was also beautiful to see inside the church and beautifully preserved artwork. On the top roof of the church not to be miss to see, there is an impressive view of the city of Palermo and it is great for photography.
Written September 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nikolay V
Sofia, Bulgaria62 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021 • Couples
One of the most significant place in Palermo! There is a nice garden in front of the cathedral. The entrance is free but if you want to have a tour inside the cathedral and see Palermo from above you can buy a ticket. Amazing place you must visit!
Written June 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ANGELO V
Milan, Italy2,939 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2022
There are several sections in the Cathedral of Palermo, and you need a ticket to visit each of them. Tickets are sold separately, but cumulative tickets are also available.
Sections are: Royal Tombs, Treasury, Crypt, Basements, Apses and Roofs: I visited everything apart from the roofs (hundreds of stairs to climb).

On approaching the Cathedral you see a wonderful building in a warm sandstone colour, originally built in 1185. The church interiors were redone during the 18th century, and they're quite disappointing.

The Royal Tombs are those of Norman rulers of Sicily, among them the tomb of Frederick II of Swabia.

The Treasury has several religious art pieces.

The Crypt hosts several burials of noblemen and clergy, and it also has the royal crown of Constance of Aragon, an exquisite jewel in gold and precious stones.
Written December 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Happy Days
Durban, South Africa30 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022
The Palermo cathedral is lovely, both on the outside and interior. The honey-coloured stonework gives the whole building a warm and pleasant feel to it. There is much to see on the inside, and once you have had a good look, I would recommend sitting in the piazza, with a gelato from a little place just across the road from the cathedral.
Written February 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Manish R
Belfast, UK52 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020 • Couples
Beautiful church , from outside, inside, its okay i guess, but don't have high expectations, but the outside is very beautiful. The roof top visit for €5 is well worth it. It is a very steep climb so not for everybody, but take your time and do it , the view from the roof is breath taking .'
Written October 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 1,573
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

Cattedrale di Palermo

Frequently Asked Questions about Cattedrale di Palermo


Restaurants near Cattedrale di Palermo: View all restaurants near Cattedrale di Palermo on Tripadvisor