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Sadly, the adjacent cloister (not this complex), which according to the photos, is breathtaking, was a separate ticket & wasn’t included in our tour, nor did we have time to explore that option. The main attraction in the cloister is the square courtyard with 228 paired columns, some inlaid with Byzantine-style mosaic work, & each supporting ornately carved capitals that depict scenes from Sicily's Norman history. The Arab fountain, in a mini-cloister within the larger cloister, is also popular. More info & photos here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monreale and awesome cloister photos ones here: http://www.paradoxplace.com/Perspectives/Sicily%20&%20S%20Italy/Montages/Sicily/Palermo/Monreale%20Cloisters.htm
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Western Europe
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