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 senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

The senses tell about Palazzo Napolino Tommasi Rosso

The cathedral of Sant’Agata: a lengthy reconstruction

The Baroque town by the sea

Baroque and the loss of equilibrium in the 16th century

The senses tell about Palazzo La Rocca

The disastrous earthquake

A colourful floor

The Burgos crucifix

A long reconstruction

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

A square as the heart of the city

The city of museums

From St. Thomas to St. Joseph

The character of Badia Sant’Agata

One city, three sites

St. Sebastian, so much work!

The church of Carmine

Wonderful quick decorations

A Nobel Prize in Modica

A talking palace

San Nicolò l’Arena: an unfinished church

A symbol for the town

Many owners, one palace

Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata, who is the architect?

The senses tell the story of the Church of Santa Chiara

One city, two sites

The Supernatural dimension of the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento

The colours of the cathedral

Fontana della Ninfa Zizza, public water in the town

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

The Maiolica of the staircase

The façade used as a puppet theatre

A museum to save a tradition

Modica, a city with ancient origins

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

A majestic and luminous church

Some prestigious works

Searching for colour

A prominent church

An eagle-shaped city

Feasting in Palazzolo

The senses tell the Cathedral of Sant’Agata

Some masterpieces

A small room with a golden entrance

Connections with other UNESCO sites

The internal colours

New roads for Catania

Two illustrious patron saints

Between white and black

A city in colour

The two churches

A new site for a new city

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

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

A miniature city

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

Discovering the mother church

The theatre of taste

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

A feast only for Scicli

The Infiorata, a feast of colours and flowers

Militello, the story of an enlightened fiefdom

The Benedictine Monastery, one of the largest in Europe

The Barresi-Branciforte lords

The senses tell the story of the Church of the Annunciation

The senses tell about Palazzo Nicolaci

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

A new palace for the La Rocca lords

Norman apses

Rosario Gagliardi, the maestro of the Val di Noto

A new site for a new church

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Benedetto

A new entrance for Santa Chiara (St. Claire)

Prominent façade

A triumph of colour

The Staircase of Angels

Corbels: a celebration of the Nicolaci family

Limestone, the colour of harmony

The senses tell the story of the church of San Giuseppe

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

Feast days

St. Agatha and the giant candelabras

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

The interior and its masterpieces

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

The wall comes to life

The Feast of San Giacomo (St. James)

The senses tell the story of the Church of San Sebastiano

A design by Vincenzo Sinatra

A half-Baroque church

San Benedetto: a treasure reopened to the public

Places of knowledge: the Benedictines’ library

From International Gothic to present day

The kitchen, a treasure chest of colours

Garden of Novices and the restorations by Giancarlo De Carlo

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

The chocolate of Modica

A hall for the feasts