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 senses tell the story of the church of San Giovanni Battista

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

New roads for Catania

A half-Baroque church

A city in colour

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A new site for a new city

The colours of the cathedral

The Maiolica of the staircase

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

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

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Two illustrious patron saints

The Burgos crucifix

The disastrous earthquake

Many owners, one palace

The wall comes to life

One city, three sites

One city, two sites

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The chocolate of Modica

A triumph of colour

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The city of museums

A colourful floor

A prominent church

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The interior and its masterpieces

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The church of Carmine

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Feasting in Palazzolo

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Some prestigious works

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Feast days

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Norman apses

The theatre of taste

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A hall for the feasts

Prominent façade

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The internal colours

Searching for colour

The two churches

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

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

From International Gothic to present day

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

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A symbol for the town

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

A majestic and luminous church

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

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A talking palace

A miniature city

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

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

A museum to save a tradition

The Staircase of Angels

Discovering the mother church

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The Baroque town by the sea

A square as the heart of the city

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A feast only for Scicli

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

A small room with a golden entrance

A new site for a new church

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Some masterpieces

An eagle-shaped city

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

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

A long reconstruction

Between white and black

Wonderful quick decorations

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo