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 Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The theatre of taste

Many owners, one palace

A hall for the feasts

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A majestic and luminous church

A half-Baroque church

Some prestigious works

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

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

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

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The internal colours

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Discovering the mother church

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The Staircase of Angels

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

Wonderful quick decorations

The church of Carmine

Searching for colour

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

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

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

The Burgos crucifix

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A prominent church

New roads for Catania

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

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

Feast days

Feasting in Palazzolo

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The Maiolica of the staircase

A miniature city

Prominent façade

A city in colour

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

A new site for a new church

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A square as the heart of the city

Between white and black

The chocolate of Modica

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

An eagle-shaped city

A talking palace

The disastrous earthquake

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

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

A feast only for Scicli

One city, two sites

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The Baroque town by the sea

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A long reconstruction

The interior and its masterpieces

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Two illustrious patron saints

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

One city, three sites

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The wall comes to life

A symbol for the town

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A small room with a golden entrance

The two churches

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A new site for a new city

From International Gothic to present day

A colourful floor

A museum to save a tradition

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The city of museums

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Connections with other UNESCO sites

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

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

Norman apses

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The colours of the cathedral

A triumph of colour

Some masterpieces