The Norman King William II built the Monreale Cathedral, the symbol of the city, and dedicated to Santa Maria la Nuova around 1174. William’s idea was to create an imposing structure that would surpass in beauty and grandeur the Palatine Chapel of Palermo and Cefalù Cathedral. Large sums of money and human labour were used to erect and decorate the Cathedral and work was completed in 1186. This was also the year that the Bronze door designed by Bonanno of Pisa was installed. The Cathedral interior is magnificent, highlighted by the 12th and 13th Century decoration against a gold background.
