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.

St. Sebastian, so much work!

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

A city in colour

A majestic and luminous church

A colourful floor

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A prominent church

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

A small room with a golden entrance

The colours of the cathedral

The internal colours

Limestone, the colour of harmony

Feasting in Palazzolo

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

A new site for a new church

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The disastrous earthquake

A triumph of colour

Discovering the mother church

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Norman apses

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A long reconstruction

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

New roads for Catania

The theatre of taste

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

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The two churches

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

The interior and its masterpieces

A talking palace

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

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The Baroque town by the sea

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

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

The chocolate of Modica

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

A museum to save a tradition

Prominent façade

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Two illustrious patron saints

The church of Carmine

A square as the heart of the city

The Staircase of Angels

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

A new site for a new city

Between white and black

A half-Baroque church

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The city of museums

A symbol for the town

A Nobel Prize in Modica

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

Feast days

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

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

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Some prestigious works

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

The Maiolica of the staircase

Many owners, one palace

Some masterpieces

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

One city, three sites

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

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

An eagle-shaped city

A miniature city

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

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Searching for colour

Wonderful quick decorations

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The Burgos crucifix

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

One city, two sites

From International Gothic to present day

A feast only for Scicli

A hall for the feasts

The wall comes to life