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 Maiolica of the staircase

St. Sebastian, so much work!

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

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

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

Searching for colour

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Limestone, the colour of harmony

A Nobel Prize in Modica

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

Feast days

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Wonderful quick decorations

The Burgos crucifix

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

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

The Staircase of Angels

An eagle-shaped city

A museum to save a tradition

A hall for the feasts

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

A feast only for Scicli

The chocolate of Modica

Connections with other UNESCO sites

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

The theatre of taste

The church of Carmine

A triumph of colour

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

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

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

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

The wall comes to life

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A square as the heart of the city

Some masterpieces

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

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

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

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

New roads for Catania

From International Gothic to present day

A miniature city

A colourful floor

A new site for a new church

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

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

A small room with a golden entrance

Feasting in Palazzolo

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The disastrous earthquake

The internal colours

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

Some prestigious works

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

Between white and black

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

One city, three sites

The interior and its masterpieces

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The façade used as a puppet theatre

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A long reconstruction

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

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

A majestic and luminous church

A talking palace

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Discovering the mother church

Two illustrious patron saints

The city of museums

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

A city in colour

A prominent church

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

A half-Baroque church

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

One city, two sites

A new site for a new city

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Norman apses

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The Baroque town by the sea

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

Many owners, one palace

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Prominent façade

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

A symbol for the town

The two churches

The colours of the cathedral

The Barresi-Branciforte lords