Martorana- Palermo , Sicily

The Martorana Church (Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio) in Palermo, Sicily, stands as a testament to the island’s complex religious and cultural history. Originally an Orthodox church founded by Georgios d’Antiochia in the 12th century, it was later forcibly converted to Roman Catholicism during the Norman conquest of Sicily. This transition reflects the broader historical process of Latinization imposed on Sicily between the 12th and 16th centuries, a period marked by violent religious and political shifts. The church’s significance extends beyond its architectural heritage; it also serves as a symbol of the enduring Greek-Sicilian identity that predates both Arab and Norman influences. Additionally, Georgios d’Antiochia’s contributions include the Admiral’s Bridge (Ponte dell’Ammiraglio), a UNESCO-listed structure that played a pivotal role in Sicily’s Risorgimento movement during Garibaldi’s 1860 campaign for Italian unification.

SOTIRIOU, s. (2026). MARTORANA- PALERMO , SICILY. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.21884392