San Cataldo is one of the oldest churches of Palermo, is remarkably similar to the Eastern mosque. Located in Piazza Bellini near the Church of Martorana, it is a monument of Arab-Norman architecture, which combines Byzantine and Arab features.

The Church, dedicated to St. Cataldo, was built in the 12th century on the initiative of Mayo da Bari, the Sicilian Minister of king William I of Evil. Initially, it was the personal temple of Mayo and stood in the grounds of his Palace. However, after the death of the Minister, all his property was sold to the count Silvestro Mársico, whose son in 1175 in turn sold the Palace complex of king William II the Good. Seven years later, the Palace together with the Church became the property of the monastery of Montreal.

For five hundred years San Cataldo was in the possession of the archbishops of Montreal in those years, the next to become a parish Church was built a small cemetery. The Palace Mayo monks first used as a hospital and then placed in the residence of the archbishops. Significant restoration work was carried out in 1625 and 1679 respectively. And in 1620 South-Eastern part of the Palace was sold to the Senate of Palermo, after which it became the current Palazzo Pretorio.

In the late 18th century the Palace Mayo and Church of San Cataldo were redeemed from the Archdiocese of king Ferdinand II, who gave the Church to the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Palermo, and Palace were ordered to equip the mail. Only a hundred years later, the Palace was demolished and the hill on which he stood, was sryle to its very foundations. Thanks to this event, the Church of San Cataldo, until then hidden from all sides by various buildings, was open to the gaze of the public. It underwent major restoration work, which the Church acquired its original appearance. In 1937 it became the property of the order of Malta.

The architecture of the Church is quite unusual: it is a parallelepiped with three hemispherical domes. Similar structures can be seen in the Italian region of Apulia and North Africa. Even simple tourist it is clear that it was not without a distinct Arabic influence. Three facades of the Church are decorated with false arches, and only the South façade, once adjacent to the Palace, stripped of decorations. On the roof you can see a typical Arab thread. From interior decoration to have survived only the altar and inlaid floors, Dating back to the 12th century. And on one wall is an epitaph in honor of Matilda, who died in infancy daughter of count Silvestro Mársico.