Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Muqarnas

Sicily, the largest Mediterranean island, has a long history, that starts around 8000 BC, but later there were Phoenician, Carthaginian, Greek and Roman periods. After the Roman Empire had fallen apart the Vandals tried to take over the island but failed. Finally, the Ostrogoths took possession. Mid of the 6th century Sicily was conquered by troops of the Byzantine Empire. After the advent of Islam, Sicily got attacked by the Arab forces. Raids seeking loot continued until the mid-8th century. A Muslim army was sent to the island in 827 but met with much resistance. So it took a century to conquer it and even later revolts constantly occurred In 1038 the Byzantines invaded the island supported by Norman mercenaries, led by Roger. In 1072, after the siege of Palermo, most of Sicily was under Norman control. Roger´s son Roger II raised the status +of the island to a kingdom in 1130. During this period, the Kingdom of Sicily was prosperous and powerful, The court of Roger II became melting out of culture from Europe and the Middle East. This attracted scholars, scientists, artists, and artisans. Muslims, Jews, Greeks, Lombards, and Normans cooperated and created some extraordinary buildings. In 1186 the last descendant of Roger, Constance of Sicily married Emperor Henry VI, the second son of Barbarossa. So the crown of Sicily was passed on to the Hohenstaufen Dynasty. Frederick II, the only son of Constance, was crowned King of Sicily at the age of four in 1198. He became "Stupor Mundi", one of the greatest and most cultured men of the Middle Ages. Palermo, founded in 734 BC by the Phoenicians, became a possession of Carthage and later was part of the Roman Empire. From 831 to 1072 the city was under Arab rule. Following the Norman conquest, Palermo became the capital of a new Kingdom of Sicily and the capital of the Holy Roman Empire under Emperor Frederick II and King Conrad IV. Extensive parks, used for leisure and hunting, existed already before the Normanns took over Palermo. Roger II extended the existing parks, known as "Genoardo" (Arabic: Jannat al-arḍ, literally "Paradise on Earth"). Within this large park were castles, pavilions and even artificial lakes. Still existing is the "Castello della Zisa" (= La Zisa). Neighbouring La Zisa is "Chiesa della Santissima Trinità", aka "Cappella palatina della Zisa" as it did serve the palace as a chapel. The Capella may be the oldest still existing church in Palerma, as it is way older than La Zisa. It is claimed, that it is based on a refectory of a Byzantine monastery, which was converted into a mosque during Arab rule. When William I decided to build a pleasure palace on the neighbouring site, the mosque became a chapel.

Sicily, the largest Mediterranean island, has a long history, that starts around 8000 BC, but later there were Phoenician, Carthaginian, Greek and Roman periods. After the Roman Empire had fallen apart the Vandals tried to take over the island but failed. Finally, the Ostrogoths took possession. Mid of the 6th century Sicily was conquered by troops of the Byzantine Empire. After the advent of Islam, Sicily got attacked by the Arab forces. Raids seeking loot continued until the mid-8th century. A Muslim army was sent to the island in 827 but met with much resistance. So it took a century to conquer it and even later revolts constantly occurred In 1038 the Byzantines invaded the island supported by Norman mercenaries, led by Roger. In 1072, after the siege of Palermo, most of Sicily was under Norman control. Roger´s son Roger II raised the status +of the island to a kingdom in 1130. During this period, the Kingdom of Sicily was prosperous and powerful, The court of Roger II became melting out of culture from Europe and the Middle East. This attracted scholars, scientists, artists, and artisans. Muslims, Jews, Greeks, Lombards, and Normans cooperated and created some extraordinary buildings. In 1186 the last descendant of Roger, Constance of Sicily married Emperor Henry VI, the second son of Barbarossa. So the crown of Sicily was passed on to the Hohenstaufen Dynasty. Frederick II, the only son of Constance, was crowned King of Sicily at the age of four in 1198. He became "Stupor Mundi", one of the greatest and most cultured men of the Middle Ages. Palermo, founded in 734 BC by the Phoenicians, became a possession of Carthage and later was part of the Roman Empire. From 831 to 1072 the city was under Arab rule. Following the Norman conquest, Palermo became the capital of a new Kingdom of Sicily and the capital of the Holy Roman Empire under Emperor Frederick II and King Conrad IV. Extensive parks, used for leisure and hunting, existed already before the Normanns took over Palermo. Roger II extended the existing parks, known as "Genoardo" (Arabic: Jannat al-arḍ, literally "Paradise on Earth"). Within this large park were castles, pavilions and even artificial lakes. Still existing is the "Castello della Zisa" (= La Zisa). Neighbouring La Zisa is "Chiesa della Santissima Trinità", aka "Cappella palatina della Zisa" as it did serve the palace as a chapel. The Capella may be the oldest still existing church in Palerma, as it is way older than La Zisa. It is claimed, that it is based on a refectory of a Byzantine monastery, which was converted into a mosque during Arab rule. When William I decided to build a pleasure palace on the neighbouring site, the mosque became a chapel.

Sicily, the largest Mediterranean island, has a long history, that starts around 8000 BC, but later there were Phoenician, Carthaginian, Greek and Roman periods. After the Roman Empire had fallen apart the Vandals tried to take over the island but failed. Finally, the Ostrogoths took possession. Mid of the 6th century Sicily was conquered by troops of the Byzantine Empire. After the advent of Islam, Sicily got attacked by the Arab forces. Raids seeking loot continued until the mid-8th century. A Muslim army was sent to the island in 827 but met with much resistance. So it took a century to conquer it and even later revolts constantly occurred In 1038 the Byzantines invaded the island supported by Norman mercenaries, led by Roger. In 1072, after the siege of Palermo, most of Sicily was under Norman control. Roger´s son Roger II raised the status +of the island to a kingdom in 1130. During this period, the Kingdom of Sicily was prosperous and powerful, The court of Roger II became melting out of culture from Europe and the Middle East. This attracted scholars, scientists, artists, and artisans. Muslims, Jews, Greeks, Lombards, and Normans cooperated and created some extraordinary buildings. In 1186 the last descendant of Roger, Constance of Sicily married Emperor Henry VI, the second son of Barbarossa. So the crown of Sicily was passed on to the Hohenstaufen Dynasty. Frederick II, the only son of Constance, was crowned King of Sicily at the age of four in 1198. He became "Stupor Mundi", one of the greatest and most cultured men of the Middle Ages. Palermo, founded in 734 BC by the Phoenicians, became a possession of Carthage and later was part of the Roman Empire. From 831 to 1072 the city was under Arab rule. Following the Norman conquest, Palermo became the capital of a new Kingdom of Sicily and the capital of the Holy Roman Empire under Emperor Frederick II and King Conrad IV. Extensive parks, used for leisure and hunting, existed already before the Normanns took over Palermo. Roger II extended the existing parks and had walls built. Within this large park were castles, pavillions and even artificial lakes. On an island of such a lake "Palazzo della Cuba" (aka "La Cuba") was erected. It was built in 1180 by William II of Sicily about 500m west of the Palazzo dei Normanni. Strong Arab influences are visible, as it was probably designed and decorated by Arab artists still living in Palermo after the Norman conquest in 1072. In the 16th century it was used as a hospital during a plague epidemic. In the 18th century it was strongly altered and became part of a cavalry barracks, what caused a lot of major restoration work in the 20th century, though the very most of the interiour splendour is lost. Today La Cuba lies within a Carabinieri barracks, but it is open to the public.