  We study Na2IrO3 by ARPES, optics, and band structure calculations in the
local-density approximation (LDA). The weak dispersion of the Ir 5d-t2g
manifold highlights the importance of structural distortions and spin-orbit
coupling (SO) in driving the system closer to a Mott transition. We detect an
insulating gap {\Delta}_gap = 340 meV which, at variance with a Slater-type
description, is already open at 300 K and does not show significant temperature
dependence even across T_N ~ 15 K. An LDA analysis with the inclusion of SO and
Coulomb repulsion U reveals that, while the prodromes of an underlying
insulating state are already found in LDA+SO, the correct gap magnitude can
only be reproduced by LDA+SO+U, with U = 3 eV. This establishes Na2IrO3 as a
novel type of Mott-like correlated insulator in which Coulomb and relativistic
effects have to be treated on an equal footing.
