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 senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

St. Sebastian, so much work!

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

Discovering the mother church

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A colourful floor

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

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The theatre of taste

The colours of the cathedral

The church of Carmine

One city, two sites

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

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

Wonderful quick decorations

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

A hall for the feasts

Some masterpieces

A symbol for the town

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

The chocolate of Modica

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

New roads for Catania

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

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

The Staircase of Angels

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

A majestic and luminous church

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A half-Baroque church

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

A new site for a new church

A talking palace

The Baroque town by the sea

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

One city, three sites

Searching for colour

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Some prestigious works

A museum to save a tradition

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A miniature city

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

The city of museums

The internal colours

A small room with a golden entrance

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

A prominent church

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Norman apses

The two churches

A square as the heart of the city

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The interior and its masterpieces

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

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

A new site for a new city

Between white and black

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

A triumph of colour

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Two illustrious patron saints

An eagle-shaped city

A city in colour

The Maiolica of the staircase

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

From International Gothic to present day

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

A long reconstruction

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

Many owners, one palace

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

Modica, a city with ancient origins

Feasting in Palazzolo

The Burgos crucifix

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

The wall comes to life

Prominent façade

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

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

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

A feast only for Scicli

Feast days

The disastrous earthquake

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso