Noto

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The harmonious architecture and homogeneity of Noto stone create such a scenic balance that the city looks as though it were built in one night.
Noto was actually built over half a century by various architects and craftspeople. Noto omogeneita e l'armonia archtettureThe work of the architect Angelo Italia was fundamental: he organised the city space and created splendid scenographic effects, transforming squares and streets into stages.
No less important was Rosario Gagliardi .
His constant presence in Noto allowed him to closely monitor all of his construction sites and to teach and prepare new, young architects. Upon his death, his works were completed by one of his students, Vincenzo Sinatra , who never forgot the expert’s teachings.
None of this could have been achieved without good basic organisation.
Thanks to Baron Giuseppe Asmundo, the land for constructing the new buildings was allocated fairly and the height of the buildings was also clearly defined. In this way, the buildings were all the same, creating a harmonious and homogeneous landscape.
The choice of white limestone , was also important.This local stone, when lit up by the sun, takes on a golden yellow colour reminiscent of honey.Its appearance has remained unchanged over the centuries; minimal interventions were made and you can still admire it in all its beauty and grace today.The effect is a landscape wrapped in an ethereal light.

The interior and its masterpieces

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Prominent façade

A museum to save a tradition

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giovanni Battista

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Between white and black

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The wall comes to life

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

From International Gothic to present day

The Maiolica of the staircase

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A miniature city

Some masterpieces

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The city of museums

The Staircase of Angels

A small room with a golden entrance

A majestic and luminous church

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

One city, two sites

Searching for colour

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A square as the heart of the city

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The chocolate of Modica

Discovering the mother church

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the Badia di Sant’Agata

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The senses tell the Mother Church of San Nicolò and of the Santissimo Salvatore

The senses tell the story of the church of Santa Maria del Carmelo

New roads for Catania

The senses tell the story of the staircase of Santa Maria del Monte

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

One city, three sites

Feasting in Palazzolo

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A city in colour

An eagle-shaped city

The church of Carmine

The two churches

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Giuliano ai Crociferi

The role of the religious orders in rebuilding the Val di Noto

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista

A prominent church

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Two illustrious patron saints

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Many owners, one palace

A new site for a new church

Norman apses

The Burgos crucifix

The colours of the cathedral

A feast only for Scicli

A symbol for the town

Feast days

A hall for the feasts

Some prestigious works

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

A talking palace

A half-Baroque church

The senses tell the Benedictine Monastery and San NicoIò l’Arena

A long reconstruction

Freedom of worship and the role of the Catholic Church in the diffusion of Baroque

The Baroque town by the sea

Wonderful quick decorations

Connections with other UNESCO sites

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The theatre of taste

A new site for a new city

Church of San Giuliano (St. Julian) on Via dei Crociferi: reconstruction

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The internal colours

The disastrous earthquake

A triumph of colour

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

From the contrast of the exterior to the internal jubilation of colours

A colourful floor

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra