The Genesis Mosaics in Monreale Cathedral

12th-13th century
Mosaic
Cathedral of the Assumption, Monreale, Sicily

The cathedral has a long series of mosaics illustrating chapters 1 through 32 of the Book of Genesis, as follows:

  1. The Creation
    1. The First Day of Creation: Heaven and Earth
    2. The First Day of Creation: Day and Night
    3. The Second Day: Creation of Light (not photographed)
    4. The Third Day: Separation of the Waters from the Land
    5. The Third Day: Trees and plants (not photographed)
    6. The Fourth Day: The Lights in the Heavens (not photographed)
    7. The Fifth Day: Birds and Fish (not photographed)
    8. The Sixth Day: Beasts and Man (not photographed)
    9. The Seventh Day + Adam in Paradise
    10. The Creation of Eve
    11. God Presents Eve to Adam
  2. Adam and Eve
    1. The Serpent Tempts Eve
    2. Eve Eats the Fruit, Gives Some to Adam
    3. God Confronts Adam and Eve
    4. Expulsion from Eden
    5. Adam and Eve at Their Labors
  3. Cain and Abel
    1. Cain and Abel's Sacrifices
    2. Cain Slays Abel
    3. Cain is Punished
    4. Lamech Kills Cain
  4. Noah's Flood
    1. God Calls Noah
    2. Noah and Sons Build the Ark
    3. Noah Puts the Animals into the Ark
    4. Noah and the Dove
    5. Noah Leads the Animals from the Ark
    6. God's Covenant with Noah
    7. Noah's Nakedness
  5. The Tower of Babel
  6. Abraham and Lot
    1. Abraham Welcomes the Three Visitors
    2. The Hospitality of Abraham
    3. Lot Defends His Guests Against the Sodomites
    4. The Destruction of Sodom
    5. God Tells Abraham to Sacrifice Isaac
    6. God stays Abraham's Hand
  7. Isaac and Jacob
    1. Rebecca at the Well
    2. Rebecca Goes to Isaac
    3. Isaac Sends Esau to Hunt
    4. Jacob Gains Isaac's Blessing
    5. Jacob Flees Laban
    6. Jacob's Ladder
    7. Jacob Wrestles with the Angel

Also see these studies of Genesis iconography in other churches.

The photograph at the top of this page was taken at the cathedral by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.