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 Giovanni Evangelista

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

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A colourful floor

A half-Baroque church

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

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

The colours of the cathedral

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

Many owners, one palace

Wonderful quick decorations

A triumph of colour

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

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

Discovering the mother church

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A symbol for the town

A small room with a golden entrance

Searching for colour

The wall comes to life

The Maiolica of the staircase

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A museum to save a tradition

The Staircase of Angels

An eagle-shaped city

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The two churches

The chocolate of Modica

One city, three sites

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

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A new site for a new church

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

A Nobel Prize in Modica

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The interior and its masterpieces

The theatre of taste

The internal colours

Some masterpieces

A city in colour

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

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A miniature city

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Prominent façade

A talking palace

The Burgos crucifix

One city, two sites

The disastrous earthquake

New roads for Catania

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A new site for a new city

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

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

Some prestigious works

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A hall for the feasts

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Feast days

The city of museums

The church of Carmine

The façade used as a puppet theatre

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

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

From International Gothic to present day

A square as the heart of the city

A long reconstruction

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

St. Sebastian, so much work!

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

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Two illustrious patron saints

Norman apses

A majestic and luminous church

A feast only for Scicli

A prominent church

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The Baroque town by the sea

Between white and black

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Feasting in Palazzolo

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca