Retire Early Lifestyle
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In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

The Cathedral of Cefalu, Sicily

And the Surrounding Piazza

(Pronounced: Shef-ah-LOO)

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

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Cefalu, a captivating coastal town gracing Sicily's north coast, is a photographer's dream.

Everywhere you turn, history and beauty intertwine, offering endless photo opportunities. This international gem offers a dazzling beach, a challenging yet rewarding La Rocca (The Rock), and a charming maze of streets lined with inviting restaurants.

Cefalu is simply a must-visit for any Sicilian adventure.

Today, our adventure took us to the Cathedral, followed by a relaxing coffee break in the vibrant Piazza del Duomo, the heart of Cefalu.

Piazza in front of the Cathedral of Cefalu

This is such a lovely piazza with umbrella'd tables and tourist shops all around the edges.

The Roman Catholic basilica that you see here is an important Norman architectural monument in Sicily and in Southern Italy, earning itself a UNESCO title.

Construction began in the early 12th century and - as is typical for Cathedrals - it was completed 100 years later.

Roger II of Sicily had his and his wife's stone coffins placed here, but in the 13th century, they were moved to the Cathedral of Palermo.

Piazza in front of the Cathedral

Here is the large Piazza, with the Bishop's Palace next to the cathedral on the right.

How does one get funding to cover a 100-year building project?

The Norman style of the cathedral suggests the involvement of skilled architects and builders, which would have been expensive.

The most common source of funding is the tithe that churches expect from their congregation. Traditionally, the Church receives 10% of your income that you might give as offerings during services.

This tithing is a never-ending, dependable source of cash throughout the decades that the Church relies upon.

There could be fundraisers, wealthy patrons could donate money or leave sizeable amounts in their wills to their favorite or local Church.

Way back when, Churches might have owned land that generated income through rents or agriculture.

And during the "Old Days" the Catholic Church historically sold indulgences. This is a very debatable practice, where people could pay to reduce their time in purgatory.

I'm not sure how God received that money, or what He did with it once He had it, or why He needed it in the first place, but this was a very common custom at the time.

Those who feared purgatory were eager to take time off "their sentence" so were willing to purchase what they could afford.

A better view of the Bishop's palace

Especially in the Middle Ages, displaying and touring revered relics of Saints or of the Cross that Jesus was crucified on attracted pilgrims who might donate money.

And of course, powerful kings often gave money to fund these projects, as it was often seen as a way for monarchs to display their piety and power.

The front of the Cathedral

The cathedral is preceded by a large terraced forecourt, known as a parvis. This was originally a cemetery, and, according to tradition, it was created with earth brought from Jerusalem. This was believed to have qualities that caused the rapid mummification of corpses.

These days the bodies are no longer there, probably due to hygiene concerns. As these became more important, cemeteries were often moved outside of city centers.

So it's safe to assume the bodies were relocated to a different cemetery.

This road leads to the path up to the Rocca

You can see from the incline of the streets in this photo, that the hike up to the entrance of La Rocca has already begun.

This hike starts out easily, but gets progressively difficult. Still, it's a hike that we recommend - for the exercise, for the expansive views of the city below and the very blue Tyrrhenian Sea.

The steps leading up to the Cathedral

The area surrounding this ancient Cathedral is picturesque. The statues on both sides of the gate and at the corners are of various bishops who served in this parish.

The Bishop's Palace is to the right, outside this photo, and the town hall is to the left

The front of the Cathedral, Bishop's Palace to the right

It's hard for me to imagine that this building took 100 years to build. It doesn't appear to be as complex as the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, or for that matter the Cathedral in Cuenca, Ecuador, both which also took 100 years to complete.

But what do I know?

The two massive Norman Towers on either side of the entrance contributed to the Cathedral's UNESCO World Heritage status.

The architectural style reflects the Norman characteristics that emerged in Sicily during this period. They are a blend of Romanesque, Byzantine and Islamic designs.

Beyond their design, the towers likely served a defensive purpose in the past, acting as watchtowers for the town.

In the piazza

Here we are in the Piazza having a cappuccino, a cornetto and a bowl of Sicilian gelato.

Now, mind you, I thought I was ordering 1 scoop of this delicious frozen dessert, and along comes three massive spoonfuls. There was no way I could finish this!

I had my one, Billy helped towards another and we had to simply leave the third one there.

The bill for 2

My gelato dish came to $5Euros which was equal to Billy's coffee and croissant.

The total was $10.20, or about $11USD.

We recommend a visit to the Rocco, to the Piazza for a morning caffeine break and to see this UNESCO Cathedral. It's worth checking out!

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Cathedral of Cefalu, Sicily

 Piazza del Duomo, 90015

Cefalù, Sicily

Open daily

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

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