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Monreale Cathedral, one of the jewels of Sicily’s artistic and religious heritage, shines anew thanks to a new lighting design project by Zumtobel. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015, the cathedral is famous for its golden mosaics, which cover over 6300 m2 and depict biblical scenes from the Creation to the Ascension of Christ.
Using a frame structure on the column capitals, rectangular spotlights were fitted in the nave
Carried out in conjunction with the restoration of the precious decorative work, the lighting was completely overhauled to highlight the visual magnificence of the cathedral, while preserving its atmosphere as a place of worship.
During the renovation, a lighting system was created that enhances the mosaics and interiors of the cathedral, while offering a high level of flexibility for a wide range of uses
The municipality and parish of Monreale entrusted Zumtobel with overhauling the cathedral’s lighting design to highlight its magnificent golden mosaics, while respecting the sacred space and adhering to strict UNESCO regulations.
The project centered on the design of a custom LED system integrated with the Litecom control platform. This intuitive system makes it possible to change lighting to meet different needs via a range of control devices, including touch panels, smartphone and PC apps, physical controls, and traditional switches, providing users with maximum flexibility.
“The lighting needed to create the right atmosphere for multiple uses. From festive lighting in the nave for the Easter and Christmas masses, to historical-artistic guided tours, and prayer, for which we created an interplay of light and shade, each scenario was meticulously curated for the best result.”
Holger Leibmann, Zumtobel project manager
Zumtobel designed rectangular spotlights for the project, which were fitted to the column capitals on frame structures. With the addition of adjustable brackets, this system makes it possible to precisely adjust the lights, even for complex installations. For targeted lighting, used for altars and crucifixes, for example, Zumtobel used a round spotlight from its VIVO II series, known for its versatility.
Featuring depictions of scenes from the Bible with golden details, the cathedral’s mosaics needed lighting that would enhance the colors and details without being invasive. Zumtobel chose a color temperature of 2700 K, a warm tone that’s ideal for highlighting the brilliance of the artworks, combined with a more neutral light of 3000 K for other areas, such as the nave and altars.
With a color rendering index (CRI) above 90, the new luminaires ensure exceptionally natural color reproduction and enhance the cathedral’s interior.
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Lighting: Zumtobel
Photography by Clorinda Scura / Scura Design, courtesy of Zumtobel
