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 wall comes to life

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A small room with a golden entrance

A city in colour

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

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

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

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A new site for a new city

Between white and black

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Two illustrious patron saints

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Some masterpieces

The Maiolica of the staircase

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Feasting in Palazzolo

A symbol for the town

The disastrous earthquake

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The Baroque town by the sea

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The chocolate of Modica

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

The Burgos crucifix

A prominent church

Wonderful quick decorations

The city of museums

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A half-Baroque church

Some prestigious works

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A talking palace

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The interior and its masterpieces

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Many owners, one palace

One city, two sites

The colours of the cathedral

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A majestic and luminous church

Prominent façade

The two churches

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

A new site for a new church

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

The theatre of taste

A museum to save a tradition

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

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

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

New roads for Catania

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Searching for colour

A square as the heart of the city

Feast days

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

The church of Carmine

A hall for the feasts

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A colourful floor

From International Gothic to present day

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A long reconstruction

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A miniature city

The internal colours

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

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

An eagle-shaped city

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

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

The Staircase of Angels

A triumph of colour

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A feast only for Scicli

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

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

One city, three sites

Discovering the mother church

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Norman apses

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours