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 Barresi-Branciforte lords

Feast days

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

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A colourful floor

A feast only for Scicli

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The colours of the cathedral

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

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

Feasting in Palazzolo

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

Discovering the mother church

The church of Carmine

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A miniature city

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The disastrous earthquake

Many owners, one palace

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

A new site for a new city

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

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

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The Baroque town by the sea

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

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

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The Burgos crucifix

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

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

A majestic and luminous church

The interior and its masterpieces

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

A talking palace

The city of museums

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

A museum to save a tradition

A hall for the feasts

A long reconstruction

The chocolate of Modica

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A small room with a golden entrance

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

An eagle-shaped city

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The Staircase of Angels

The wall comes to life

New roads for Catania

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

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A symbol for the town

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

The theatre of taste

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

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

Some masterpieces

Some prestigious works

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The internal colours

Norman apses

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A square as the heart of the city

Wonderful quick decorations

A triumph of colour

From International Gothic to present day

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A city in colour

The two churches

Prominent façade

A half-Baroque church

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

The Maiolica of the staircase

One city, two sites

One city, three sites

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A new site for a new church

Searching for colour

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Two illustrious patron saints

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A prominent church

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo