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 story of the Church of San Sebastiano

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

A city in colour

One city, two sites

Searching for colour

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

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

A miniature city

Some prestigious works

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

New roads for Catania

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A Nobel Prize in Modica

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

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

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

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A new site for a new church

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Connections with other UNESCO sites

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

Feasting in Palazzolo

Feast days

A majestic and luminous church

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

One city, three sites

The interior and its masterpieces

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

Many owners, one palace

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The church of Carmine

The colours of the cathedral

The city of museums

A symbol for the town

The two churches

Between white and black

The Baroque town by the sea

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A half-Baroque church

A museum to save a tradition

A colourful floor

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Two illustrious patron saints

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

A new site for a new city

A hall for the feasts

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

An eagle-shaped city

Discovering the mother church

The internal colours

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A prominent church

A long reconstruction

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The Staircase of Angels

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

A feast only for Scicli

The Burgos crucifix

A triumph of colour

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The theatre of taste

The Maiolica of the staircase

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The chocolate of Modica

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Some masterpieces

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

The wall comes to life

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

A square as the heart of the city

Prominent façade

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

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Norman apses

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

A small room with a golden entrance

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Limestone, the colour of harmony

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

Wonderful quick decorations

The disastrous earthquake

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A talking palace

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

From International Gothic to present day