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.

A triumph of colour

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

The disastrous earthquake

A museum to save a tradition

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

A square as the heart of the city

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

A small room with a golden entrance

A half-Baroque church

Norman apses

A feast only for Scicli

Between white and black

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A long reconstruction

Feasting in Palazzolo

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Searching for colour

The colours of the cathedral

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

A prominent church

A city in colour

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A hall for the feasts

Many owners, one palace

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

Discovering the mother church

The Baroque town by the sea

The wall comes to life

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

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

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

Wonderful quick decorations

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

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

The two churches

The Staircase of Angels

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The chocolate of Modica

The Burgos crucifix

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

New roads for Catania

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Prominent façade

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

A new site for a new city

The façade used as a puppet theatre

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

A symbol for the town

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The senses tell the story of the Badia di 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

A majestic and luminous church

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

One city, two sites

The theatre of taste

Two illustrious patron saints

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

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

An eagle-shaped city

The church of Carmine

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Some prestigious works

The Maiolica of the staircase

Feast days

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

A talking palace

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

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

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A miniature city

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

Limestone, the colour of harmony

From International Gothic to present day

A colourful floor

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A new site for a new church

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

One city, three sites

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Some masterpieces

The internal colours

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

The interior and its masterpieces

The city of museums