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.

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

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

Between white and black

Searching for colour

Feasting in Palazzolo

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

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

The Maiolica of the staircase

Wonderful quick decorations

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The Staircase of Angels

The disastrous earthquake

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

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

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A city in colour

An eagle-shaped city

A half-Baroque church

Some prestigious works

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A new site for a new city

The Baroque town by the sea

A symbol for the town

A talking palace

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A long reconstruction

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Feast days

The church of Carmine

The city of museums

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

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

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A museum to save a tradition

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

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

From International Gothic to present day

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The theatre of taste

A feast only for Scicli

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Connections with other UNESCO sites

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A prominent church

The internal colours

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

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

One city, three sites

A triumph of colour

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The colours of the cathedral

The Burgos crucifix

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

A majestic and luminous church

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

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

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Discovering the mother church

The chocolate of Modica

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A small room with a golden entrance

Two illustrious patron saints

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

New roads for Catania

The two churches

A new site for a new church

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Prominent façade

The wall comes to life

One city, two sites

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The interior and its masterpieces

A colourful floor

Many owners, one palace

Norman apses

Some masterpieces

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

A miniature city

A square as the heart of the city

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

A hall for the feasts

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation