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 two churches

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The internal colours

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

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

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

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

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A new site for a new city

A miniature city

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

Many owners, one palace

The city of museums

Two illustrious patron saints

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Some prestigious works

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

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

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Feast days

A talking palace

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A half-Baroque church

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Feasting in Palazzolo

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

One city, two sites

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The interior and its masterpieces

A new site for a new church

The theatre of taste

Between white and black

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A city in colour

The Maiolica of the staircase

The wall comes to life

Discovering the mother church

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The colours of the cathedral

A majestic and luminous church

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A long reconstruction

New roads for Catania

The disastrous earthquake

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

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

One city, three sites

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

A feast only for Scicli

A hall for the feasts

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

Norman apses

Some masterpieces

A small room with a golden entrance

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The chocolate of Modica

The Burgos crucifix

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

The church of Carmine

Modica, a city with ancient origins

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

A colourful floor

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A prominent church

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

From International Gothic to present day

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A symbol for the town

A square as the heart of the city

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

A museum to save a tradition

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

An eagle-shaped city

Prominent façade

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Wonderful quick decorations

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

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

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The Baroque town by the sea

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

A triumph of colour

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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

Searching for colour

The Staircase of Angels

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano