Caltagirone

A museum to save a tradition

In 1965, the Museum of Ceramics was founded in order to save a centuries-old tradition. Located on one of the main streets, Via Roma, the location was refurbished before the inauguration.
It has a special entrance, a 19th-century portico that rests on a tall raised structure accessed by a series of staircases. The maiolica decorations make it extra special, embellishing and adding colour to the façade.
The museum contains pottery from the Greek age until the beginning of the 20th century, including collections of Arab, Norman, Suevian and Aragonese artefacts.

foto ceramiche in ordine di descrizione per periodo

foto ceramiche in ordine di descrizione per periodo foto ceramiche in ordine di descrizione per periodo
The pottery is exhibited in four large rooms, where there are around 2500 artefacts and work from the ancient, medieval, post-medieval and modern worlds. The collections mostly come from the Civic Museum of Caltagirone and the “ Luigi Sturzo “, State Institute of Art for Ceramics, but also from other Sicilian museums such as the Russo-Perez collection or from private collectors including Professor Antonino Ragona.

The interior and its masterpieces

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The theatre of taste

New roads for Catania

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

The chocolate of Modica

Feasting in Palazzolo

A city in colour

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

The wall comes to life

Wonderful quick decorations

Modica, a city with ancient origins

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A triumph of colour

A hall for the feasts

Some masterpieces

A feast only for Scicli

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

Discovering the mother church

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The Staircase of Angels

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The Baroque town by the sea

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

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

The city of museums

One city, three sites

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

The Burgos crucifix

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

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

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

The disastrous earthquake

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

Some prestigious works

A talking palace

A miniature city

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

Two illustrious patron saints

The two churches

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

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

A symbol for the town

A Nobel Prize in Modica

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

Prominent façade

A square as the heart of the city

A long reconstruction

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

The Maiolica of the staircase

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

A colourful floor

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A new site for a new city

The colours of the cathedral

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

A half-Baroque church

Feast days

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

Many owners, one palace

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

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

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A new site for a new church

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

From International Gothic to present day

Searching for colour

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

A small room with a golden entrance

An eagle-shaped city

The internal colours

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

A prominent church

Connections with other UNESCO sites

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

A majestic and luminous church

One city, two sites

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A museum to save a tradition

The church of Carmine

Between white and black

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

Norman apses

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)