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.

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

An eagle-shaped city

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The wall comes to life

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A colourful floor

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

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

Discovering the mother church

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A miniature city

The internal colours

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

A new site for a new city

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

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

The city of museums

The disastrous earthquake

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

The Baroque town by the sea

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A city in colour

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Many owners, one palace

Some masterpieces

One city, three sites

New roads for Catania

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

A square as the heart of the city

A symbol for the town

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A majestic and luminous church

One city, two sites

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

A long reconstruction

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Norman apses

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The church of Carmine

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

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The façade used as a puppet theatre

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A hall for the feasts

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

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

The colours of the cathedral

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

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

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

Two illustrious patron saints

The two churches

A museum to save a tradition

A new site for a new church

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The theatre of taste

Some prestigious works

The Burgos crucifix

Prominent façade

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

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A triumph of colour

A prominent church

A half-Baroque church

The chocolate of Modica

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A small room with a golden entrance

Between white and black

A feast only for Scicli

Feasting in Palazzolo

Wonderful quick decorations

From International Gothic to present day

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

Searching for colour

The Staircase of Angels

A talking palace

Feast days

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

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

The Maiolica of the staircase

The interior and its masterpieces

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