Monreale
Monreale | |
|---|---|
| Comune di Monreale | |
Interior of Monreale Cathedral. | |
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Coat of arms | |
Monreale Location of Monreale in Italy Monreale Monreale (Sicily) | |
| Coordinates: 38°04′54″N 13°17′20″E / 38.08167°N 13.28889°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Sicily |
| Metropolitan city | Palermo (PA) |
| Frazioni | Aquino, Borgo Fraccia, Borgo Schirò, Cicio di Monreale, Giacalone, Grisì, Monte Caputo, Pietra, Pioppo, Poggio San Francesco, San Martino delle Scale, Sirignano, Sparacia, Tagliavia, Villaciambra |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Alberto Arcidiacono |
| Area | |
• Total | 530.18 km2 (204.70 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 310 m (1,020 ft) |
| Population (31 October 2017) | |
• Total | 39,032 |
| • Density | 73.620/km2 (190.68/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Monrealesi |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 90046 |
| Dialing code | 091 |
| Patron saint | St. Castrensis |
| Saint day | 11 February |
| Website | http://www.monrealeduomo.it/ |
Monreale (/ˌmɒnriˈæl/; Italian pronunciation: [monreˈaːle]; Sicilian: Murriali) is a town and comune in the Metropolitan City of Palermo, Sicily, Southern Italy. It is located 310 meters (1017.06 ft) above the sea level on the slope of Mount Caputo, a small promontory overlooking the valley of Palermo, from which it is approximately 7 km (4 miles) to the south.
The town developed on a site used by the Norman kings for hunting. They built a royal palace there, hence the name Mons Regalis. The city gained great importance when king William II of Sicily built Monreale Cathedral with the adjoining Benedictine monastery. In 1183, it became the seat of the archbishop.
Monreale forms its own archdiocese. Its cathedral is one of several buildings named in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a group of nine inscribed as Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale.