Here’s a wonder of a Friday Afternoon Challenge for you: That’s SO Medieval!

[horseshoecrab]

66. finding monreale

Ok, sure. Had no time to get to the Amiens Cathedral, unfortunately.

Looked on google and images for info about columns and capitals, figuring they were the tipoff that it was in Western Europe.
Thought the 8 pointed gold stars on some columns were unique enough to help in a search as well. Also thought it was probably a church. Searched for Moors or Arabs in Medieval Italy and France and found info about the Normans in Sicily and their tolerance, even welcoming of the Moors. Don't have those links but try those searches. Some interesting reading given what happened not too long after; The Crusades.

First tried searching google images for "French church with roman corinthian capitals, columns with eight pointed gold stars," but had no luck. In some of the searches I used terms like "inspired by the Alhambra." Still no luck. "Moorish influence." No luck seeing anything that looked like your post. Decided it must be Italy.

Here's what ultimately worked for me:
Searched at google images on the terms: "church with roman corinthian capitals, columns with eight pointed gold stars" & got:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&gs_nf=1&cp=76&gs_id=2&xhr=t&q=church+with+roman+corinthian+capitals,+columns+with+eight+pointed+gold+stars&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1536&bih=717&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=62ZAT7evI6G90QH2h9jzBw

In the images returned, click the 2nd from the left in  the top row. (You can see the moorish influence on the ceiling - even in the thumbnail, decided that was the first place to look. It's a different church, but it still has some Moorish influence.) You'll arrive at:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=839410

The _Roman_ Corinthian capitals suggested Italy. Looked at  some of the other churches in Italy but found it in the last section - Sicily. Page down until you come to the section headed "Sicily."

Click on Monreale Cathedral:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=35458596&postcount=64

I took the leisurely route and had fun. Beautiful images at the skyscrapercity site.

HTH.

Always interesting CTyankee.