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I found our trip to the Capella Palatina, built by the Norman king Roger II in the 12th century AD, an interesting example of the coexistence and synthesis of different cultures and religions, combining Byzantine, Islamic, and Latin architecture and decoration. The ornate predominately gold mosaics that cover the interior are in the Byzantine style, and depict prominent figures in Christianity including Christ Pantokrator as well as various scenes from the book of Genesis. The mosaics are supported by Corinthian columns, which are clearly Classical in character while the chapel itself is capped by a wooden ceiling adorned with the Muslim honeycomb stalactite design known as muqarnas. In addition, the presence of inscriptions in Latin, Greek, and Arabic are further evidence of the interweaving of these various cultures and altogether speaks to the fact that dominion over Sicily has changed many times throughout history. It was therefore eye opening to see the amalgamation of all these different cultures encapsulated in a single structure.