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.

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

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

A museum to save a tradition

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

A half-Baroque church

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

A symbol for the town

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

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The theatre of taste

A small room with a golden entrance

The colours of the cathedral

Some prestigious works

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A majestic and luminous church

A prominent church

The internal colours

The wall comes to life

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

New roads for Catania

The Baroque town by the sea

Prominent façade

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The disastrous earthquake

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The Maiolica of the staircase

An eagle-shaped city

One city, three sites

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

Norman apses

The Staircase of Angels

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

A city in colour

A triumph of colour

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Two illustrious patron saints

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Modica, a city with ancient origins

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

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

The façade used as a puppet theatre

One city, two sites

Feasting in Palazzolo

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

A feast only for Scicli

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The city of museums

Between white and black

The church of Carmine

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A new site for a new city

Searching for colour

From International Gothic to present day

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Feast days

A hall for the feasts

A long reconstruction

The two churches

A square as the heart of the city

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

Some masterpieces

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

The chocolate of Modica

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A new site for a new church

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

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

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

Many owners, one palace

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A talking palace

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A colourful floor

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

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The Burgos crucifix

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

Wonderful quick decorations

A miniature city

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

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

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

Discovering the mother church

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

The interior and its masterpieces

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

Connections with other UNESCO sites

A Nobel Prize in Modica