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.

Between white and black

The Maiolica of the staircase

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

Many owners, one palace

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

A triumph of colour

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The chocolate of Modica

From International Gothic to present day

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Discovering the mother church

New roads for Catania

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A new site for a new church

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Feast days

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A half-Baroque church

A miniature city

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Some prestigious works

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A city in colour

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

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

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

One city, two sites

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

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

A feast only for Scicli

Prominent façade

A square as the heart of the city

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Some masterpieces

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The Burgos crucifix

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Norman apses

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The Staircase of Angels

The internal colours

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

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

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The disastrous earthquake

A new site for a new city

The two churches

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

An eagle-shaped city

A prominent church

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The church of Carmine

The interior and its masterpieces

Feasting in Palazzolo

A symbol for the town

Two illustrious patron saints

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

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

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

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

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A museum to save a tradition

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

St. Sebastian, so much work!

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

The Baroque town by the sea

A talking palace

The colours of the cathedral

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A long reconstruction

Wonderful quick decorations

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

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

Searching for colour

The wall comes to life

The city of museums

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The theatre of taste

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

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

A majestic and luminous church

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

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

One city, three sites

A colourful floor

A small room with a golden entrance

A hall for the feasts