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 symbol for the town

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Many owners, one palace

A feast only for Scicli

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The chocolate of Modica

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The internal colours

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

A triumph of colour

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The Staircase of Angels

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The disastrous earthquake

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

An eagle-shaped city

Wonderful quick decorations

Two illustrious patron saints

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Norman apses

The two churches

Searching for colour

A talking palace

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

A majestic and luminous church

A hall for the feasts

The Burgos crucifix

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

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The interior and its masterpieces

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

A city in colour

A long reconstruction

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A museum to save a tradition

One city, three sites

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

The colours of the cathedral

One city, two sites

A prominent church

The church of Carmine

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

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

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The Baroque town by the sea

Prominent façade

St. Sebastian, so much work!

Some masterpieces

From International Gothic to present day

A square as the heart of the city

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

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

New roads for Catania

The Maiolica of the staircase

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

A new site for a new city

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A half-Baroque church

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

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

Some prestigious works

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Discovering the mother church

A small room with a golden entrance

A miniature city

The theatre of taste

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

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

A colourful floor

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The city of museums

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Feast days

The wall comes to life

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

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Between white and black

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Feasting in Palazzolo

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A new site for a new church

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

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)