| Church of San Cataldo | |
|---|---|
 San Cataldo, Palermo, with its typical red domes | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Catholic Church |
| Province | Knights of the Holy Sepulchre[1] |
| Location | |
| Location | Piazza Bellini 3, Kalsa, Palermo, 90133 |
 Interactive map of Church of San Cataldo | |
| Coordinates | 38°06′53″N13°21′45″E / 38.1148°N 13.3625°E /38.1148; 13.3625 |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Church |
| Style | Romanesque[1] |
| Completed | 1154[1] |
| Official name:Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale | |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | ii, iv |
| Designated | 2015(39thsession) |
| Reference no. | 1487 |
| State Party |  Italy |
| Region | Europe and North America |
TheChurch of San Cataldo (or Saint Cathal's Church) is aCatholicchurch located atPiazza Bellini, in centralPalermo,Sicily,Italy. Erected in 1154 as a notable example of theArab-Norman architecture which flourished inSicily under Norman rule on the island, the church is annexed to that ofSanta Maria dell'Ammiraglio. Since the 1930s, it belongs to theOrder of the Holy Sepulchre.
In 2015, it received status as aWorld Heritage Site.
Founded around 1160 by admiralMajone di Bari, in the 18th century the church was used as a post office. In the 19th century it was restored and brought back to a form more similar to the original Mediaeval edifice.
It has a rectangular plan with blind arches, partially occupied by windows. The ceiling has three characteristics red, bulge domes (cubole) and Arab-stylemerlons. The church provides a typical example of theArab-Norman architecture, which is unique to Sicily. The plan of the church shows the predilection of the Normans for simple and severe forms, derived from their military formation. Moreover, the building shows how international the language of Norman architecture was at the time, as the vocabulary which marks parts of the church, like the bell tower, can be tracked down in coeval buildings like the cathedral ofLaon and theAbbaye aux Dames inCaen, both in Northern France, or the cathedral ofDurham in England. At the same time, the church shows features shared by Islamic and Byzantine architecture, such as the preference for cubic forms, the blind arches which articulate the external walls of the church, and the typical spherical red domes on the roof.
The interior has a nave with two aisles. The naked walls are faced byspolia columns with Byzantine style arcades. The pavement is the original one and has a splendidmosaic decoration. Also original is the main altar.
The old City Wall can be seen running underneath the Church.
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