Don Giacomo Nicolaci was Baron of Villadorata and owner of one of the most beautiful buildings in Noto, Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata. The Baron was extremely cultured and a great scholar, spoke six languages and was a true lover of astronomy and geometry. He was appointed Prince of the Academy ...

In 1474 the rector of the church, Giuliano Maniuni, ordered Antonello da Messina to create the Annunciation. The painter, one of the most important artists in Italy, painted the requested work on a wooden panel, which remained above the altar until 1906. That year, the Italian state offices respon...

A Solomonic column is a particular column that twists around itself. It has been used since the Early Christian era, as seen in some sarcophagi, was lost in the Renaissance period then became fashionable again in the Baroque period....

The most prestigious altars are the last three on the left: the one of San Mauro (St. Maurus) painted by Giuseppe Tanasi in 1853; the altars of San Sebastiano (St. Sebastian) and San Rocco (St. Roch) by unknown artists; and the main altar with its beautiful marble and statues by Gioacchino Gianforma...

If you move away from the façade of the church of San Sebastiano and look up at it from the middle of Piazza del Popolo, you can see "u palieddu" soaring at a height of forty-two metres, a little flag-shaped wind vane placed on the bell tower. ...

This spectacular religious feast lasts three days and involves the entire country. The three days of celebration take place with specific ceremonies, from the flag-throwers' procession, with the scents of lavender and votive offerings, to the display of the saint's relics held at the top of the chu...

St. Sebastian was born around mid-200 AD to a wealthy family in the south of France. After his father's death he moved with his mother to Milan where he received an education based on courage and generosity. When he grew older, he left for Rome and enlisted in the imperial army to spread the wor...

Among the narrow streets of Palazzolo Acreide we find the Antonino Uccello Birthplace Museum, one of the first ethnographic museums in Sicily. The museum was opened in 1971 thanks to the passion of its founder, Sicilian teacher and poet Antonino Uccello. Driven by his love for his land after spe...

The puppets of Sicilian opera are wooden marionettes with a jointed body, but not all are made the same. In fact, there are very important differences between the puppets of the area of Palermo, Trapani and Agrigento and the puppets of the provinces of Catania, Messina and Syracuse. The former a...

The cart was used at the time of the Bourbons as a means of transport pulled by an animal to transport materials. Because the road surface was often very bumpy, the carts had very tall wheels. They were made extremely well and soon became objects used by artisans to express their creativity. Th...