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 church of Carmine

The Baroque town by the sea

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 Benedetto

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The city of museums

A prominent church

A half-Baroque church

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The Burgos crucifix

A museum to save a tradition

One city, three sites

A symbol for the town

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Norman apses

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Many owners, one palace

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The interior and its masterpieces

Feast days

Some prestigious works

The two churches

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The Maiolica of the staircase

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

An eagle-shaped city

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

Discovering the mother church

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

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

The disastrous earthquake

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

Some masterpieces

One city, two sites

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

A majestic and luminous church

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

A triumph of colour

A talking palace

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Between white and black

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

St. Sebastian, so much work!

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

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

A new site for a new city

The theatre of taste

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A colourful floor

Connections with other UNESCO sites

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

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Two illustrious patron saints

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The internal colours

Feasting in Palazzolo

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

Prominent façade

New roads for Catania

Wonderful quick decorations

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The chocolate of Modica

The wall comes to life

A feast only for Scicli

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A miniature city

A long reconstruction

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The Staircase of Angels

A city in colour

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

A new site for a new church

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

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A hall for the feasts

A square as the heart of the city

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The colours of the cathedral

Searching for colour

From International Gothic to present day

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A small room with a golden entrance

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family