The
Cathedral-Basilica of Cefalù, (Italian:
Duomo di Cefalù) is a Roman Catholic church in Cefalù, Sicily, Italy.
The cathedral, dating from 1131, was commenced in the Norman style, the island of Sicily
having been conquered by the Normans in 1091. According to tradition, the building was erected after a vow made to the Holy Saviour by the King of Sicily, Roger II, after he escaped from a storm to land on the city's beach. The fortress-like character of the building, which, seen from a distance, rises as a huge bulk above its medieval town, may in part reflect the vulnerability of the site to attack from the sea. It also made a powerful statement of the Norman presence.
The cathedral was added to the World Heritage list in July 2015 as part of the 'Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalú en Monreale' site.
